AIBU to feel too anxious about my cat being late home?

[catsoutthehouse]

We have a lovely cat and love him so much. He's one year old. He's a big mouser and goes out overnight, returning like clockwork at around 7.30am. He has not been home yet, so is now 3.5 hours late. I worry so much that something has happened to him! I've been out shaking a bag of his favourite treats, he is nowhere near. AIBU to think I'm too nervous to have a cat??

Have you tried rattling the Dreamies?

OP, it's quite possible to get your cat in the pattern if coming in at night. I know your cat isn't used to it, but maybe just try feeding him later? It is harder in the summer for sure. In the winter he's not out all night anyway, surely?

Do you know where he goes? Maybe go on a wander with Dreamies?

Sometimes they get scared and hide if another cat is blocking their route home.

is he out all night in Winter too ?

Another thing is they wander into other people's houses, sheds and garages and then get locked in. Can you put a message out on Nexdoor or a community WhatsApp group if you have one?

He is, neutered and microchipped!

For us it's solely about the volume of animals he hunts and brings home. So sick of waking up to deceased mice, rats, birds, it's awful. He doesn't hunt anywhere near as much in the day.

He only started going out this springtime!

It's the same round my way, OP, so personally I shut mine in at dusk and let them out when I nip to the loo around 2am

That way they get a happy run in the darkness they love, and by the time dawn comes they're back in the house sleeping

I have, just went for the 10th time, no sign of him 😓

Thank you. I've texted my two next door neighbours. If he doesn't turn up till tonight I'll get my husband to put something on Facebook as I am not on xx

hope he turns up, please let us know

Are you home at the moment OP?

I'm sure he's absolutely fine, but have you called the local vet, just ti be sure nobody has taken him in?

Are there any building sites nearby or allotments etc?

My cat has a tracking collar when she goes out because she wanders (the other cat who barely leaves our garden is not only trusted to go out naked but also allowed out after dark!) - might be worth investigating when he comes home. it's nice to see where they go. Screenshot attached of today so far - she gets let out after breakfast

Mine loves to be outside and was once gone overnight so we got him a tracker he wears on his collar so we know where he is! We don't let him out overnight however, we live in Croydon and there has been incidents of cats being killed by what looks like a person so don't want to risk it!

Just thought I’d ask OP, I hope he turns up soon bless you I know that worry too well.

Oh this is so cool. If he ever turns up again I think I might get him one!

An update, my neighbour has seen him this morning at about 8.30 roaming around. But nothing since then. It's odd as he usually comes in to sleep on our bed all day!

Hope he comes home soon. YNBU to worry though. My cat is like yours. Generally sleepd by day, hunts by night. We have a cat flap and he just comes and goes. We live rurally. I have noticed that he’s been staying out longer since the warm weather. Sometimes he’s not hungry either as he’s been living off the local wildlife!

That's great your neighbour saw him. I wonder what he's up to?

We are having a cool respite op and he might just be enjoying the breeze. One of mine sometimes goes on the missing list for 36/48 hours, usually in summer.

A good trick to get them back is to download cats/kittens miawing on your phone and sit in your garden playing them.

We have trackers here too, doesn't make them come in any earlier but I at least know where they are. Mine are always locked in at night although one of mine is a dirty stop out and I was napping on the sofa waiting for Madame's return till the early hours this morning. Family think I'm mad.

Oh my goodness that's such a long time! You think they just eat mice in the meantime? It's just so odd as he's very much like clockwork usually. He's a big mouser though so maybe hunting and as you say, enjoying the breeze. I hope so at least!

What time would he normally come for dinner?

Are there any builders around because that can freak them out?

Usually, his schedule is like this:

• Sleep all day in the house
• Eat in between
• Go out around 8:30pm and stay out all night
• Back at around 7-8am to come in and have breakfast

He went out yesterday night and my neighbour saw him around 9am. Nothing since!