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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Missing cat has returned but ....

220 replies

topknob · 22/04/2012 12:46

Charley went missing just under a year ago...searched everywhere, did leaflet drops etc, many sightings but no one could get him. We now have two females, both spayed. I thought I saw Charley last week, just a fleeting glance so wasn't sure. Then yesterday dh clearing out his works van, I was out there too and along comes Charley following one of my females :) I was patient, sat down near them as they laid together under a car then watched them following each other about. He did at one point lay in front of me, but I was worried about scaring him. He came back AGAIN about an hour later..went to follow our female into the house then she turned round and went back out !! So he sat on our front garden for ages...when I called him he would look at me but didn't make any attempt to come up to me or dh (he was Charleys fav :) ) I took lots of photos have compared them to when he was younger and the markings are exactly the same.
What do I do now?? I am eagerly waiting for him to pop up again hopefully should I attempt to approach him? Should I put his old bed out for him?? Any ideas?

OP posts:
RandomMess · 27/04/2012 22:12

He is delicious!

topknob · 27/04/2012 22:17

Thank you :) if you feel like it and can be arsed if you compare the pics from before he left to now you can match the markings :) just his head has got bigger lol...x

OP posts:
RandomMess · 27/04/2012 22:22

The photos were too small! it can't possibly be my eyesight

topknob · 27/04/2012 23:27

ha ha... xx

OP posts:
Toughasoldboots · 27/04/2012 23:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PositiveAttitude · 28/04/2012 09:01

That swirly bit on his left side looks very distinctive. Smile

boringnickname · 28/04/2012 09:32

Yes, i would say that the swirly bit is very distinctive, and would have been obvious as a youngster - do you have pics with that in?

Either way, he is just gorgeous and if i were you id get him neutered and micro-chipped, also put a collar on him with a name tag and telephone number, that way if anyone else is feeding him they will see that he has an owner already.

He sounds like a typical tom cat, out on the tiles having fun, pitching up when hes wanting fed :)

Sparklingbrook · 28/04/2012 10:16

Yes, DH and I have studied the photos and think it's the swirly bit that clinches it. Smile

Today could be the day. Smile

topknob · 28/04/2012 13:09

Dh has a large fishing net... :o

I have looked and I don't think we have any with the left hand swirly bit on but we have of the right hand side..typical. The front markings do match exactly and the right hand side ones do too :)

boring just as soon as I get him in the house :o

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 28/04/2012 13:19

Come on Charley! Did he like catnip? Sparkling cat loves it.

ToryLovell · 28/04/2012 13:28

topknob, hoping you have him snared very soon, gorgeous cat with lovely distinctive marking

And topknobs DH - I love all the updates.

topknob · 28/04/2012 21:53

Poor report today as it has been raining ALL day :( a couple of fleeting glances during the day but nothing of any interest to report. I am hoping it does not rain tomorrow !

I don't know about the catnip tbh as have never tried it x

OP posts:
asiatic · 29/04/2012 13:35

This has given me hope that we will possibley get our own missing cat back

crazynanna · 02/05/2012 09:41

How is it going topknob? Smile

topknob · 04/05/2012 18:58

Hello :) Thanks for asking crazynanna I hadn't seen him since Monday when dh fed him again until about 1/2 hour ago...there he was under next doors car. I went out on our door step called him and he came (mght be because I had a pouch of food in my hand) :) dh came out with another pouch so we made a trail into the house. He stayed eating for about 10 mins then had a little sniff at the living room but didn't go in, walked outside sat grooming himself for ages on the front door mat, then got spooked again so went under next doors car again. He has gone now but I was very pleased to see him :) and more so he actually came to me when I called nothing to do with the food in my hand .

He is still very nervous however he is getting better which is encouraging. I don't want to force him in as I think he will flip. Our road has countryside on either end and the houses in front of us have endless fields behind them and I think that is where he has been :( so close ! But no human contact. He is slowly learning to trust us.

It might be a case of he also stays out but comes to us for food. My ideal situation is he becomes confident enough in us to come and go from the house as he pleases, he is more than happy with our two girls. I haven't re-introduced him to the dog yet :) .

I would not feel at all confident in picking him up without getting badly injured at the moment :)

OP posts:
MNP · 04/05/2012 19:23

Maybe he senses the dog and is why he goes back out after a sniff around?

topknob · 04/05/2012 19:52

Maybe...he always loved the dog, all the cats have they go to her when they come in before anyone else and rub against her head , she is a good girl :) but we don't know how he would be now.

OP posts:
Ratbagcatbag · 04/05/2012 20:01

Oooh am so pleased this has popped back up, I so want you to get him back

timtam23 · 05/05/2012 00:05

Lovely photos topknob. Hope you manage to coax him in.

topknob · 05/05/2012 16:47

He came today :) was meowing outside our window. Dh fed him and stroked him then he went and laid down on the drive so I sat on the door step talking to him at a distance with one girl cat next to me. After a while he walked over so dh took the girl cat in and I gave him more food and STROKED him for ages :) he was much more relaxed today. After about 1/2 hour he strolled off up the road with a very big belly :) . He did come into the house when dh was feeding him which is good. I had him right next to me and could have picked him up BUT I want to make him comfortable with me before I try that.

I wish he would turn up when the kids are at school as I could spend more time with him and the house would be quieter but we'll see how we go :)

I'll add a couple of pics from today on now..

OP posts:
RandomMess · 05/05/2012 16:50

Sounding really positive!

topknob · 05/05/2012 16:53

Todays pics should be at the top. One is with my girl cat :)

OP posts:
crazynanna · 05/05/2012 16:59

Oooh I don't think it will be long now! Smile

D0oinMeCleanin · 05/05/2012 17:06

I too have a part time cat. He went missing for 8 whole months once. His usual time away is now around a month followed by a week of sleeping constantly and then a few more weeks of out nightly and home by the morning before he goes off for a month again.

Someone recently asked if I had seen their missing cat when I was at work (I work just around the corner from where I live) and then went on to describe my cat right down to the red dog collar dd2 sometimes makes him wear Shock.

My neighbour has recently admitted to feeding him and expressed concern at his current 'missing status' Grin

D0oinMeCleanin · 05/05/2012 17:06

Good luck with Charley, btw, I think you're doing the right thing taking it slowly.

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