I cant be the only one who's had to wander out in the dark with a torch...

[GetStuffezd]

in search of an escaped cat???

My cats are gradually going outside, about an hour at a time, gradually building up to being out all day and in at night. Definitely in at night as there are tonnes of foxes round here; sometimes their shrieking wakes me up!

I have a catflap that's locked on my kitchen door. About an hour ago I heard an "owww" sound from my ginger boy... and he just wasn't in the house any more. The BLOODY tortie had managed to pull the flap back enough to let him wriggle out.

I called, rattled food boxes, went everywhere. Finally found him sitting scared to death by coal shed. Got him in and nearly cried. He, OTOH, is tearing round like a nutcase and biffing the tortie in a condescending way, when he's usually scared of her!

I'm probably being over protective, but it was really horrible. These are my first cats and I just want them to be safe... Sorry for this rambling post, just a bit sad.

It's ok and normal to be nervous. My girl is a homecat although has access to a large garden. But the other early evening (6pm) she decided to venture a few yards, only for some huge tabby to chase under under the blackberry bush! Cue hours of coaxing and cooing. Even my lovely 70yo posh neighbour offered to pass some naice ham over the fence. Got her in 2 hours later

I hear you. Also a first time pet owner and a little over protective.
Although I need to keep reminding myself that she was (according to the rescue) a stray, so is streetwise. But she is small and there are a lot of other animals out where we are.

Mine has never been able to get out when I lock the cat flap.

Oh God, crazynanna! That sounds awful!

I feel so silly for posting, I know cats are naturally wild creatures and he would have just been fine...but still. They have a great big garden and fields to go in.,...but no, HE has to go the road side!!!

I must get a few slices of naice ham in just in case! (Although the little bugger wasn't responding to the Go Cat he usually adores!)

It was Dreamies that got her put in the end Getstuffed

Out not put

Ah, I over did the dreamies when moving and trying to get them into cat boxes!!
Now the only go mad for those Whiskas treat things, of which I have bugger all the mo!

Meatloaf - reassuring to know someone else has had it too!

GS - it is so bloody stressful. I ask her what she has been up to when she comes in, but she ignores me!

on the whole dreamies thing... what is it with them?
meatloafMeow is not generally interested in food or greedy at all. apart from dreamies...

They DO ignore, don't they?!? Selfish sods!
I am going to regret admitting this, but I tried a Dreamie once... it tasted like crap savoury snack ingredients... but I could see the attraction!

M girl stretches full length in her hind legs up the cupboard if I even look in the kitchen direction for the Dreamies. And when she eats th she slowly moves her tail from dude to side in sheer ecstasy

Side to side fgs what is dude about ?

GetStuffezd

(although I imagine they are like a lovely cheese savoury crunch thing)

That's so funny! :)
My kitties only have that kind of reaction when I interrupt their laziness. My ginger boy can sleep for 6 hours straight during the day but if I wander over while he's really relaxed he kind of flips onto his back for tummy kissing!
Also - I don't care how lame this sounds, I had a horribly vivid dream last night about someone getting in my house and standing by my bed. I woke up trying to scream but couldn't get it out. The cats, instead of hiding at the sound of my hoarse noises, both laid down on my bed - the timidest one on my pillow. It was absolute reassurance.

When I used to get home from work I would feed my cat and he would then want to go out. On several occasions he wouldn't come in when I called him and I resorted to getting in the car and driving round the block, sometimes at 1am. He always like a good nose in the car so I would then grab him grrr.

On rare occasions when that didn't work, I would go down in the morning to see a very pissed off Perkins sitting on the doorstep.