Cat ran away.

[beckslovestimmy]

We've recently moved. We've got 2cats and were planning on keeping the in for 2 weeks then slowly introducing them to the front/back garden before letting them out.

After 1 week of being in my black cat managed to get out. This was 3 days ago now. Neighbours are sure they've seen him but he hasn't come back despite whistling, calling him and shaking his food bowl loudly.

Is there anything we can do to encourage him to come back?

I left food out last night and its gone but I guess any cat could have eaten it.

Thank you for any help/advice

You need to leave food out during the day as well as at night. At night a fox is likely to eat it before your cat gets a chance to find it. Even if it's only dry food and water.

Is he chipped?

The next thing you need to do is leaflet the entire neighbourhood. I would be thinking in terms of 400 leaflets or so at least, as well as posters on trees etc. He is unlikely to have gone that far away and someone must notice a new cat hanging around their garden. Then if anyone does think he's hanging around give them cat food to put down for him to start him coming to them regularly, so you will then be able to go and collect him.

There is a very, very good chance that you will get him back.

Have you moved far from your old home? One of ours went back repeatedly and had to be retrieved severeal times before he accepted that he had moved! They can travel quite a long way.

Another of ours somehow managed to escape two days after we moved.. we were frantic, but amazingly she reappeared 3 days later quite well and is still with us today :)

I'm so sorry to see this :( Secret and her feline's are wishing for a speedy return of your kitty..xx

Thank you for the replies.

It's ok my husband just called and he has returned. I think the bad weather brought him home. What a relief.

Next question is when do I let him back out? I don't want him to run off again. Will he know this is now his home?

TBH I'd keep him in for another fortnight.. and really really keep him in no matter how much he protests :) Just so he is absolutely 100% sure:)

Very glad he is back!

Yay! Glad your boy is home! Keep him indoors for a good long while, totally disregard his complaints to get his bad self outside again.