AIBU to think cats are difficult pets if you hate uncertainty?

We have a tractive collar - which unclips itself if pulled too tight- so minimal risk of strangulation/injury.
The couple times the cat has come back without it...you then just track the collar and get it back out of the bush. Using the app once you get near you can have the tracker flash and bleep.

We had one in our garden - it didn’t obviously look like a stray so it wasn’t until weather was really cold we realised. We trapped and scanned him and he had been missing over 6 months.

he lived 10 minutes walk away, that said when we returned him it seemed he may have been being bullied by his brother.

we did see him a few times again but he obviously managed to get home those times.

we then just a couple of months ago adopted another stray - he just sort of moved in himself so we gave in and had him chipped to us etc. he was neutered and very friendly so obvisually had a home and some point.

YANBU. One of ours frequently goes awol for weeks, especially in the summer. He hangs out at other people’s houses and gardens and manages to persuade some of them to feed him 🙄 It’s a bit of a ballache. Dogs are less stressful and more rewarding IMO. (We have both).

Sorry, I also meant to say I hope he turns up soon OP.

My cat thankfully just likes to potter and doesn’t go far. But in my new house due to the amount of dogs in my neighbours gardens I ended up cat proofing my garden. She is 16 and wouldn’t protect herself.

she can’t jump high so just had to cat proof the fence so she can’t crawl out and make sure I don’t accidentally but anything she can use as a jump. I did add lots of climbing plants to the fences

No wonder the cat goes missing when he’s clearly second best!

With (past) experience of both, I never get the line that dogs are more loving or rewarding. Of course animals are all different and will vary even within species but gaining the trust, respect and love of a cat is (in my experience) truly something special. It’s not freely given.

Oh hooray! How long was it, OP? I stumbled across this thread while scrolling for things to cheer me up as my own feral little beast has been gone 48 hours and I'm so worried he's going to stay away longer, like he did a few months ago. We got a Tractive tracker collar after that, which is great - if he keeps it on. I'd definitely look down that route but be prepared for a cat who can get it off.

Usually in the first two years I believe, which drags down the average. The majority of our cats have lived to 17-19 and have died due to cancer or kidney failure.

Oh my gosh I’m so relieved for you. It’s such a horrible feeling. Very glad he’s okay! Has anyone asked you to pay the cat tax yet? <hopeful>

I'm pretty sure my cat would say "Humans are awful pets to have if you hate uncertainty"

She's very much a creature of habit. Nags for her food at the same time, wants to go out at the same time (Why does it have to be 3:10am though!). She gets thoroughly miffed if we're not home when expected to be or things are different than usual. She's being a right little shit at the moment because DD has dared to leave for university.

I find it incredibly annoying, but I think I prefer it to having a cat as capricious as yours OP. Glad she's turned up for you and doesn't bugger off again any time soon!