To ask if there's any hope of my cat returning?

[BePoliteOpalQuail]

I've been fostering an ex-feral/stray cat from a charity for 10 days. He is neutered and chipped, he is incredibly nervous and timid and in the 10 days I had him he hid the entire time. He would only eat when I wasn't around, and sometimes used the litter tray but occasionally used various locations in my flat.

I have another cat who's female and older, this male is very young. She wasn't at all bothered by him, had a bit of a sniff then got on with her usual business.

Anyway this foster cat was born outside and is not socialised, it's unclear how long he'd been in the shelter but he is not used to living with people.

Unfortunately in the early hours he escaped. He is quite small but is still adult size, he managed to squeeze through the gap in my window which is no bigger than 2 inches.

The window is on a security lock, I know cats can be contortionists but I'm still bewildered as to how he got his head through a gap that size. I never left the window wide open, however I'd left it very slightly open on the security latch and then fallen asleep.

He urinated on my couch and throw and then must've made his escape. I am furious with myself for being so irresponsible. I honestly thought it would be very difficult for him to get out of that tiny gap, my other cat is larger but has absolutely zero chance.

I know I've been a complete idiot and I'm already beating myself up. Have left food outside the window which has been eaten, but that may have been another cat. Been out looking everywhere, but nothing. I haven't stopped crying, I know that sounds dramatic but it's my actions that have led to this.

I've posted on local groups, any further advice? My partner is telling me to stop beating myself up, but it's hard. It's only been 10 days so he may not recognise this as home.

I've left his toy, litter tray and blanket outside of my window. My other cat goes out but always comes back and knows where home is. I feel like I've let this foster cat down.

Also the fact that he's not domesticated doesn't help either. I doubt he wants to be a house cat, he's used to living outside. I'm just glad it's not freezing cold but I'm really worried about him. Anything more I could do?

A cat skull wouldn’t fit through that gap.

Have you moved your furniture and checked behind things like your oven or dishwasher? Inside the sofa cushions or properly underneath the bed frames? Inside drawers etc?

My girl hid in weird places, under the base boards in kitchen, behind the washing machine, they fit in tiny spots

Yep, we’ve had several cats get behind the base boards, or behind the panels on the bath!

I don’t think he’d be able to get through that gap.

Yes, the charity should have sent him to a foster home where he could have outdoor access. In my area, these sorts of cats become farm cats.

It probably is him eating the food, cats don’t wander far in unfamiliar territory. Keep leaving the food out and one day you may spot him. Don’t beat yourself up, if he was really as unhappy as you describe OP, it was unlikely to ever work out for him in a small flat, and he is probably happier out in the open. He’s probably hiding out in a garden nearby.

Hmm that does seem unlikely. Is he a kitten?

Try closing all doors at night when you go to bed. leave delicious food out in each. The room where the food that is gone in the morning contains the cat!

(keep your other cat in with you)

I think he's still somewhere in your house. You would be amazed where they can hide. Shut your cat in one room for the next 24 hours. Leave food and water in every other room and I'd bet that by tomorrow morning some of the food will be gone.

Also leave food outside your house. You are very likely to see him again even if he has got out. He will be looking for food and should eventually find it, and will then start hanging around. But I'm sure he's still in your house.

I disagree. I presume they are hoping he can be socialised - in which case he needs to be kept in somewhere where he can't just run away from people.

When my cat goes missing she is usually found on top of my wardrobe inside the fabric box that is on top. My other cat hides under the baseboards in the kitchen. I highly doubt that the cat has managed to get through that gap.

Thanks everyone. My other cat is outside and I've just gone out, and left a plate of food on the off-chance he's still there. He usually eats and does his business when I'm asleep or out.

It sounds silly but I'm wondering if the charity can prosecute me. On Facebook they advertised him as indoor only, but the woman who did my home visit said he could go outside eventually.

He managed to get under a gap in my sink which was small. He's around 1 year old so just about a junior cat.

look at your agreement with the charity - it sounds unlikely they could prosecute you.
Accidents happen, and wasting money on a legal case would not be the best use of their resources. You should inform them what has happened though.

So you've found him??! Yay

And of course no charity would prosecute you.

No sorry I meant he previously did this, which makes me worry he could squeeze out the window :(

Told you he’d be inside somewhere!

Oh you mean he squeezed under the sink on a previous occasion?

Oh, x-post.

so you don’t mean you‘ve just found him there now - he hid there a previous time in the 10 days, so you’re just quoting it as evidence of his Houdini skills?

My boy made a similar escape after 9 days, and I was sitting wailing on the step about how the shelter would hate me, when he strolled back after 45 minutes. He was just scoping out the hood. But crucially, he was a stray rather than feral. He‘s also a big lad at 6.5 kilos / 13 pounds. Despite this he gets through a window gap of about 3 inches, and it opens at the top not at the side. He turns his head sidewards to make it flatter. It’s amazing to watch actually. He definitely wouldn’t make 1.8 inches as a full adult, but he might have done at a year old. However, if @thecatneuterer says it can’t be done, I would trust her on the matter. Put out a specific counted number of treats overnight when your other cat is shut away - that should give you definitive evidence.

@LadyGreySpillsTheTea I'm certainly not saying it can't be done. Cats are amazing at squeezing through things. I just think it's less likely than him still being in the house.

I told my friend and she's just replied 'sorry I don't think she'll be back' . That's nice of her...

I think a determined cat, especially one as young as he is, could get out of that gap if he was desperate. Best way forward is put a trail cam or 2 up outside so you can see if he's around and if so, roughly where. Then you'll probably need a trap to get him captured as he's not socialised enough to be caught. Then he really needs to be somewhere - whether with you or another foster - where he can be in one room only and given time to socialise. It's time consuming doing that, it can take months and our former feral spent a long time in one room before being allowed in the rest of the flat.

If it helps, I managed to lose a yard cat within 24 hours of getting him because I underestimated how small a gap he could get through (found him a week later, he was fine and has been a pet since then rather than a yard cat!).

Good luck, and don't give up hope. Cats never cease to amaze me and I've been owned by many of them for nearly 50 years.

Got back and the food hasn't been touched. He's gone :( my friend has made me feel shit too.
I just feel so low and irresponsible.

A few things here:

You've obviously tried really hard here OP with all the right intentions.

That does seem a very small gap for a cat to fit through.

BUT it seems that he might just not have meant to be an indoor ‘pet cat’ so if he was very determined, which it seems like he must have been then letting him go to live the life he was meant probably is the right thing…

Leave the food for 24 hours. This is too short a time to know anything.

And show me anyone who has anything to do with cat rescue who has never made a mistake and I'll show you a big, fat liar.

And as I've said, even if he is outside he will most probably be back. You just have to keep food and water outside constantly for at least a couple of weeks.

Then he could be retrapped - the charity will advise.

I once looked after a friends cat who was used to coming and going as he pleased. Within 24 hours of having him, he had escaped out of a first floor window. The next morning he was sat on the doorstep waiting for food. Hopefully yours will turn up.