Shitty shit,One of our kittens is missing and DH blames me :0(

[dobby2001]

We have two kittens, or at least we did, until I hung out the washing this morning. Both cats have been outside to sniff around the garden quite a few times and come in very quickly if anything spooks them. Today however was very differant and to cut a long story short, it wasnt long before they were chasing flying things in next doors garden.

So first kitten comes in when called , second one continues playing, then legs it out of sight. We live in a mid terrace and have back to back gardens so plenty of interesting places to explore if you are a excited kitten!

10 yo DD is worried but ok about it, we have knocked on neighbours doors and put message on FB. DH however is giving me evil looks and when DD not around made statement along the lines of "well I am soo glad we talked about the cats going outside before you let one go missing" we did actually talk about it, he did not contribute although happily played with them outside. I should also add he was sitting in the conservatory on the computer whilst I was hanging up washing so could easily have stopped cats if he had wanted.

Anyway so I now feel shit and cat still not come home - any advice?? How far should we be looking??? He has a safety collar and bell and is microchipped.

It's not your fault. It's a cat, it's what they do. Not come when called & disappear off. It's something you live with when becoming a cat owner. How long have you had them?

We can usually hear the bells on ours when they go exploring. Bet the collar slipped off.
I do have a distinct way of calling them for food which works 100% with Cat-1 and about 95% with Cat2.

How long have you had them? It sounds from your post that they do know that your house is their territory, so the lost one is likely to return when it gets hungry. For a search area - I'd check whatever counts as your "block" and also notify the local vets and cats protection in case someone hands your kitten in. They will scan him for the chip and it's useful for them to already have an idea of where he may belong.

He's unlikely to be missing for long.

I would also tell your DH to make himself useful and go look if he can't be nice.

The one thats legged it we have had since before Christmas and they have been sniffing around outside for the last couple of weeks. This is the stupid thing, DD and I (and supposedly DH)taked about them going outdoors, its just the lack of being able to hear the bell and it being so sudden. I kept telling DD that he would be home by dark and of course the bugger isn't...

Also - one of my cats has been known to wander off overnight and come back the next day. I was terrified the first time, but now can accept his occasional absences. Maybe yours will also be a wanderer.

Best way to teach a cat to come when called is to tap their tin of cat food while calling them, even if they are nearby. They soon learn that is their call to come.

That will work once NaughtyKitten is home but until then keep calling and leave a light on all night unitl he is home.

As for your husabnd, has he shown any interest in this kitten or is he just using the escape artist escapade as a way to beat you?

Well assuming it comes back safely (very likely) I've got ours trained to come back to being whistled.

Everytime just before I feed the cats I use a distince whistle. So know when I whistle they appear from quite a long way away because they think they're going to get fed

Since before Xmas - then he definitely will know where home is (I'd be worried if is was only a few weeks you see). :)

Tell DD that he's out looking for a girlfriend and should be back when he finds one or is soundly rejected ;)

What do you normally feed them on?
A rattle of the dry food box was usually enough to get my cat home, but alternatively, you could put out some strong smelling food - like tuna or sardines to try and tempt kitten home.
It sounds like it having a good explore of it's surroundings - fingers crossed it turns up soon.

I so wish I could whistle...

Though that does remind me that my dads friend used to whistle all us kids home too. Clearly I can also be trained in a similar way.

And always let them out hungry so they come back :)

I was told that cats generally have a territory of no more than 200 yards from the house. However, hard to tell if this is a kittens first time out.

Suggest you keep going out of doors, calling name, perhaps with open tin of something very smelly (tinned fish), then stop and wait and listen hard. Perhaps walk around the neighbourhood.

Good luck

I'll bet you anything he will come back. Cats are not daft- they know what side their bread is buttered! Let us know when he comes home

it's not reasonable to expect a cat to stay in your garden only while you're there and come in when you want him to. They're cats not dogs and will wander - it's what they do.
When mine were little I used to train them by putting cat treats in a glass jar. When I shook the jar the cats came running.

He will come home, and your dh is going to have to get used to the fact that cats will go out and stay out.

As an aside, is it a male or female. Because either way, if you've had them since before Christmas they will be starting to reach the stage of becoming sexually active, and you might want to consider keeping indoors and newtering, because if male then there will be a greater tendency to wander, and if female she will be of an age where kittens are possible.

Ok, where to start.
He is neutered,vaccinated,microchiiped the lot. He is a rescue kitten and so if he is actually missing we have to inform them and they will help with missing posters etc. Bloody food comes in pouches so makes no sound when rattled - I tried! Have been out shaking the cat treats box and nada. Also going out and calling him every half hour or so - lets just say all the immediate neighbours know his name by now,even the ones who I havn't knocked at!

Wannabe, I have no expectations the cats will stay in the garden, its how quickly they took off that surprised me. I grew up with cats that we only saw morning and evening and I am hoping all will be fine but its like having your child out on their own the first time!!

Not sure about what to do regarding wandering neighbourhood - its darkest south London, folk don't answer their doors readily and most houses terraced so I am hoping he has not got out to roads...

We lost one of our kittens once after we first let them out to play. My sister's boyfriend traisped around in the rain for hours looking for them for us. You imagine his joy when the missing kitten ventured out from inside the airing cuboard in time for tea.

Check your cupboards Op and don't give up hope yet. My cat goes out from months at a time sometimes, he always comes back eventually.

I think you just need to hope he'll come wandering back in when he is hungry. My DP asked my Mum to cat sit a few years ago - his cat was very odd and he decided it would be fine for the cat to go to Mums house. All was well for the first couple of days - Toby had a mooch about the garden and came in when called, then he decided to go walkabout... Turned up about 3 days later - Mum was distraught, but he was none the worse for his adventure. Spent the next couple of days there without leaving the garden. (Brave of her to risk letting him out again!)

He'll be home when he's hungry and has given up trying to catch mice. Our dear departed cat moved with us 3 times, and every time he went out for the first time he buggered off for far longer than our nerves could cope with. The first time he went out (after we'd had him for around a month), he was gone for a day or so, and we were all ready to ring the RSPCA (he was also a rescue cat) to confess! I swear that it's all to do with the cat letting you know who is boss - basically the feline one in the relationship.........

So having spent all evening feeling bad, had his companion mewing at the back door to join him or jumping on me becuase she had nobody to play/fight with, I went outside a few minutes ago for one last look before bed. Just as I was walking back in the little sod came running up the garden behind me - well actually he was chasing the torch beam!! Then decided he didnt want to come in until I had chased him around the tiny veg plot!! He is all dusty so i think he might have been hiding out in someones shed asleep, or possible just running through undergrowth as he does like to hunt anything that moves - he was last seen running after a fly

So he has now been fitted with the nametag with our phone number on that I had cut for both of them today, as I am pretty sure its not the last time i will be fretting over the little sod darling

Thanks for the great hand holding everyone

We have two cats (sisters), one rarely sets foot outside the other goes for miles and is out about 90% of the time. Glad he came home. Has he been neutered? That's meant to reduce roaming.

Yay. Glad to hear the little chap returned unscathed!

Hooray happy to hear he's back safe

Whenever our cat buggers off for 12hr stretches it is always my fault.

Cat is now 3.

Quite how I am supposed to stop him sloping off to catch bunnies I have no idea.