Please give me some "my cat did a legger then turned up fine" stories, just do I can hope!

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

I know it's not the most devastating thing in the world- people live through worse...but...

We have four house cats. One of them has somehow escaped (kitchen window, we think).

We've been calling him all day and shaking his food, but he's still gone!

Will he be ok out there? He's a house cat- n9t used to going out!

He's now been missing for 24 hours.

He will wait outside until you come home like he does normally.

We had a cat that we hadn't seen since Sunday afternoon and hadn't come in for his tea on Sunday evening. This was years ago.

Didn't see him the days afterwards. (We were kind of used to the cat disappearing for one week each summer. I calmed myself by saying, 'he's gone camping.)

He turned up at the back door shortly after 5pm on the Friday.

Basically, someone had locked their shed or out building at the end of the weekend and we think our cat was accidentally trapped inside.

They opened their shed or outbuilding at the start of the weekend and our cat came straight home.

Didn't look any worse for it. Didn't look thin. Was just a bit hungrier than usual.

Thank you AllRoads - I was trying to give you the hope that your cat will very likely turn up but may not know his own way if gone a distance. Join local Facebook groups too because that's a good place to put appeals.
Best of luck

My teen has a few issues and bolts sometimes. Last time he did it he ran off into the night and left the door wide open. My housecat followed him.
Teenager returned an hour later once he'd calmed down and started to feel the cold.
Cat stayed out till 4am. No way could I sleep. I dozed on the sofa and just as I was drifting off I heard his little meow outside the door.
i was so pleased to see him I burst into tears!

Our first cat was a battle worn semi feral adopted from cats protection. We went on holiday leaving the NDN to feed him, and went missing whilst we were away.
We leafleted, went out calling him night after night, but nothing.
3 months later we were walking our dogs by the river when they suddenly went nuts sniffing and barking in the hedgerow. When we looked we saw what looked like a nest full of black and white fur.
The very next morning he turned up looking none the worse for his adventures. I can only assume he thought we'd abandoned him when we went away. Once he knew we were back, he came home.
He never went missing again and the next time we went in holiday he was introduced to the joy of the cattery.

You are not wrong to cry. If my girl doesn’t come when I call I get very upset. If she was gone for 24 hours I would be beside myself.

Not me but a friend had a cat go missing for a week or so, missing cat posters etc went up in the area. My friend got a call saying there was a deceased cat in their garden that fitted the description. My friend goes around and confirms that it is her cat and takes it home to bury.
As she and family are burying the cat (you can see it coming can’t you) the actual cat strolls into the garden wanting to know what all the fuss is about.

A few years ago, our 3 month old kitten escaped and went missing over xmas. I contacted our local RSPCA and he had been scooped up and been taken in by them. Perhaps try local rescue places? Good luck.

About 12 or 13 years ago my parents went on holiday, bringing their year-old cat to my student digs in London for me to mind. Housemates were under strict instructions to not to let cat out as she didn't know where she was. Naturally one of them did, and after a few days of shaking food and calling, I caved and rang my dad on holiday to tell him.

He reassured me that these things happen, but said he wouldn't tell mum until they got home. I was gutted, felt like the worst daughter ever.

Cat turned up a day or two later, like she'd never been gone, and has outlived my dad. She's old and skinny, and has never wandered off again. And I don't think dad ever did tell mum I lost the cat...

Our two male cats have both disappeared and come back. One for a few days, one for two weeks, returning almost to the hour he disappeared. They were both fine, thank God. The vet said that even if a male is fixed, he might still go catting if there's an unspayed female in the area. We think that's what may have happened with one, at least.

In addition to sprinkling used kitty litter in the area, also put out his bedding, and your own clothes or shoes, the stinkier the better. Good luck! I hope he comes home soon!

It's pissing it down...shall I wait to put stinky clothes out until it stops?

Can you put them out under a covered porch?

Mine was missing for a week (an indoor cat that escaped). After a week of hunting, posters and tears he ambled back through the door clean, dry and well-fed. Bastard.

Mine disappeared immediately I went on a school trip when we'd just moved. I leafleted and gave everyone my number, finally got a call. He was round the corner but up a height. He was very unfriendly to everyone bar me. I persuaded him down. He was skinny, filthy but unharmed.

Can you leave a window open with food on the windowsill? I hope he comes back, it devastated me to have mine missing.

Our cat ran away at the vets. He stayed on some waste ground nearby for a couple of days but I couldn't catch him.

We lived a twenty minute drive away in the middle of the countryside.

I didn't see him after that and thought that was it.

About four days later I was feeding our other cat when I heard a squeaking noise. It was him, with an abscess on his tail, but otherwise OK. The vet thought that he'd either been in a fight or caught his tail on something. After a course of antibiotics he was right as rain.

Our other cat disappeared for over a month. She just turned up, very skinny, but otherwise OK.

She either got locked in somewhere (we suspected the neighbours - long story!!!!) or had simply wandered too far.

I'm sure your boy will turn up soon. He's probably just having a big explore.

I do wish they could tell us what happened when they get back!

Our cat went missing for a month although he was used to going outside. Turned out he had crossed a dual carriageway and lost his bearings, ended up about a mile away behind someones's shed. Gradually extending the distance of posters finally got a hit. He was a very distinctive light grey pedigree, which probably helped. Finally collected him thin, noisy and hungry but quite OK.

I think if you leave some food outside he'll stay local until you can let him in. Hope you see him soon!

Dcat went missing for a week. Turned up skinny with sore paws. Think he was locked in a shed and living of spiders. He was fine after a bit of grub.

Knock on and leaflet all your neighbours asking them to check their sheds

Going out calling cats really late at night when it's quiet can work. I found mine at midnight after walking around calling her and heard her meowing. I'm sure I wouldn't have heard her in the day time.

hugs to you OP. You must be worried sick.

My female housecat vanished for an entire month until one day showing up across the street. I had been leaving scent markers for her like litter from her tray and I hope that is what led her home.

Try it and see. Remember he will have to find his way back to your building so leave a sign up for your neighbours asking anyone who sees your fluffy baby to please let him in the close.

I am sure he will turn up once he's explored the great outdoors. xx

Thank you 🐱💖

My very timid house cat escaped and was out for 6 hours. She was hiding behind next doors bins. The hour I spent looking for her was the longest of my life. (I'd been out all day without realising she was out) I think I aged about 20 years!

I have had 2 friends whose cats have gone missing recently. The first one turned up after 5 weeks looking a little worse for wear but ok. The second friend was so distraught, she posted flyers everywhere, her pet insurance company helped with printing professional looking posters etc. After about ten days she received a call from a lady who had seen the cat in her garden and thought it looked emaciated , she called the number on the cats collar and thankfully my friend was reunited with her cat. She thinks the cat just wandered too far from home and got herself lost. The cat is still traumatised some weeks later and won't leave the house. So two happy endings. I hope yours turns up soon, I can't imagine what a worry it is.

5 weeks and just turned up again out of the blue. Not even thinner but a great deal more affectionate.

I had ten cats at one point ( all taken in when elderly owners could no longer care for them). Six of them went walkabouts, least time was about 24 hours, longest was 2 years! Lots of people will feed cats they see hanging about and cats are not loyal to their owners when food is involved.

Most times they returned after about 4 to 7 days. Ask neighbours to check sheds. Often, when lawn mowers get used at weekends, cats sneak in open she'd doors and get shut in.

Hope your cat returns home soon .

When I lived abroad, my house cat jumped from a three-floor balcony and disappeared for a month. One day, I was walking up the lane towards home, and he skulked out from underneath a car.

My ex's cat left for four days my ex was at work and I was out looking for him everyday

Anyhow he rolled back in with a patch of hair missing covered in dirt. But he did come back!

Ex hates letting him out now incase he doesn't come home.