Reassure me please...

[RoyalWelsh]

my cat stays in at night, always has done. She comes in before it's dark and then I shut the door/window and that's it until the morning.

She's not in yet :( it's not completely dark yet, but it's dark enough. The one and only other time she was out past dusk she got bitten by a fox. I've called her and shaken her food bag, but nothing yet.

Someone please tell me it's just a cat thing and she is going to be fine. We are miles away from main roads, so I'm not worried about cars...

It's been a lovely day so it's very possible she's enjoying the nice warm evening. Sure she'll be back soon

Some of mine do that to me from time to time. Especially at this time of year. I can't settle well if one of them doesn't come home, and in the last 7 years I've spent plenty of nights yelling cat names into the darkness with a worried expression on my face. But only once has the dirty stop out turned up in the morning hurt.

Hence my post below about the cat with the broken leg.

Do you have a tin (of anything) lying about ?

I find banging a tin can with a spoon attracts cats that are less than impressed with the thought of dry food when dusk means lots of poor, helpless, tiny rodents are tempting them into staying out to play.

It is a cat thing for sure. But it is also a human thing to have a horrible feeling at the pit of your belly until they deign to turn up. So big fat hug, cos it really doesn't feel nice at all.

Thanks fastweb, I've just been out for a walk around the cul de sac feeling like a bit of a numpty with my bag shaking and name calling! I'm glad to hear that the vast majority of yours have come back fine... He more I think about it I'm sure she's fine. I'd have heard if there was a fight, she's never really strayed out of earshot in the last year and a half, so she probably is just enjoying herself! Shes not I'll or anything either, so it's unlikely she's somewhere feeling sorry for herself I suppose

I am being a bit PFB about her I think! When I was younger my parents cats would be in and out all night, and I know on here there are lots who think it would be cruel to keep them in at night.

I bet she will bebattering the door down come sunrise!

Is she back this morning looking bleary eyed and not nearly contrite enough ?

No she isn't and me and DP are both working till 5 today. I am sure she is fine, but I just have this image of her lying hurt somewhere, waiting for me to come and find her and I can't because a) I'm at work and b) I don't have a clue where she might be.

Obviously I will raid peoples gardens and knock on doors when I get home, but if she has been hurt enough to not be able to get home, 24 hours including an over night stay in the cold and the rain, subject to all sorts of foxy no gooders isn't good is it

Love, I feel your pain I really do.

I have one, Sooty, who seems to take pleasure in torturing me by very occasionally going on three day hunting trips. He has always come home safe and sound and totally unconcerned about being the cause of my newest grey hairs and the added worry lines on my face

And remember, in the worst case scenario, you and I are not the only people in the universe that would take in and care for a cat that seemed lost, hungry or hurt for the night before starting to work out how to find their family.

Big Fat Hug, cos I know that while the words might make sense they do little to untangle the knot in the belly.

Thankyou Fastweb :)

I have now managed to convince myself that she is miraculously pregnant - even after being spayed - and she will be waiting at my back door with several little kittens on my return :)

I am not so worried now, loads of people have been telling me about their cats who have gone missing for a couple of days and come back fine so I will convince myself it is all innocent until I haven;t seen her for a good long time!

She is back! As I drove me and DP home, I spied a little black and white cat coming out from my neighours window and I said "DP, is that my cat?" and he said why yes, I do believe it is!

I want to ground her now, but obviously I won't. She can't have been shut in their house all day and night because she would have raised holy hell, so she basically has just been partying the night away and then spent the latter part of the day waiting for us on someones bed (neighbours keep their door open all day into the garden.)

Oh BRILLIANT !!!

The cheeky little squatter LOL.