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The litter tray

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

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Original poster

What's the longest your cat has ever disappeared for?

20 replies

MEgirl · 30/01/2016 21:57

We got a rescue cat just before Christmas. We reckon he's about 18 months old.

We were advised to keep him in for 6-8 weeks, vet said that 4 weeks is enough. We started to let him out and all was good.

A few days ago he was gone for 24 hours. Went out through the flap around 2 am and came back the following day around the same time. He's been showing signs of possibly being more of an outdoor cat than indoor but we were trying to take it slowly. The same day that he came back he went out again during the day but came back fairly quickly. Then he went out around 8 pm as I stupidly thought that he would come back again but he's now been gone for 48 hours. I've knocked on a few doors but no-one has seen him. I'm putting up some posters in the morning.

One of the problems is, if he is stuck somewhere it is almost impossible to hear him as he has a very quiet meow. I'm worried that someone may have taken him in and not returned him. He is chipped but I suppose it is possible that some people might not check.

So, please can someone give me some positive stories that he may still come back.

What's the longest your cat has ever disappeared for?

OP posts:

stumblymonkey · 30/01/2016 22:06

My friend's cat has gone for 2 weeks twice! Both times came back...

bchvrs · 30/01/2016 22:17

Really sorry to hear, unfortunately cats are notorious for this kind of thing! I do have a few positive stories for you though which may help to ease some of your worry even if only a little

A few years ago we rescued a cat, Barney, from a family friend that passed away + the first time we let him out we didn't see him for at least 4 or 5 days afterwards. We were so worried until a trip down the bottom of the garden revealed he was quite happily sat in a gap under the shed!

Another cat we had, Snowy, got stuck in a neighbours garage for a few days but she was absolutely fine afterwards. My next door neighbours cat also disappeared while we were taking care of him + they were on holiday then just miraculously turned back up for his dinner 3 days later.

No idea what cats get up to but they definitely like to worry us! Ask your neighbours to check their sheds + garages if you haven't already Hope you find him!

ThoughtlessMess · 30/01/2016 22:18

As a child, our cat, Tiptoes, disappeared for two weeks. We were very sad; turned out she had been locked in a neighbour's house whilst they were on holiday.
She was fine - unfortunately I never found out what state their house was in!

Dieu · 30/01/2016 22:34

Not long enough!! Mine cries to be let in/out every 5 minutes!

Hope yours turns up soon, OP. Please let us know.

cece · 30/01/2016 22:41

Our rescue cat disappeared for over a month the first time we let him out. He then reappeared but wouldn't come indoors so spent the winter (3 months) in the garden

We finally lured him in with a can of tuna. Since then he comes and goes as he pleases and hasn't disappeared again.

Original poster

MEgirl · 30/01/2016 22:58

Glad to hear such happy ending stories. We're keeping our fingers crossed that he comes back soon. 2

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Original poster

MEgirl · 30/01/2016 23:10

Must be the power of the internet but he just came home. My heart is pounding. I've been so worried. Cat flap is locked. He's NOT going out again tonight.

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Original poster

MEgirl · 30/01/2016 23:18

He feels quite a bit lighter so I reckon that he hasn't eaten the whole time he was gone.

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Wolfiefan · 30/01/2016 23:20

Yay!
Saw this thread earlier but didn't dare post. We lost a cat for a couple of weeks. She came back but she had been shot!
She recovered well but it is was horrid.
Glad your puss is home well.
Our cats don't tend to do the disappearing thing if we don't let them out after dusk!

Dieu · 31/01/2016 00:05

Yesss! So pleased to hear it. Must have been all the good luck vibes we were giving out!

ThoughtlessMess · 31/01/2016 08:25

Fab news OP!
(Just mistyped that as 'mews', perhaps I should've left it!)

LittleCandle · 31/01/2016 08:31

As a child, we inherited a cat when we bought a house. He lived in a hutch-like structure outside the shop (he was the shop cat and presumably kept rodents down, but I really don't remember that bit) and hated people with a vengeance. I was rather scared of him. One summer, he up and left and when he hadn't come back for 3 months, we thought that he was gone for good, but no, he strolled back looking incredibly smug and just as vile tempered as ever. A couple of years later, he disappeared again, but never came back.

CandleCat2 disappeared for 2 days a couple of years ago and it turned out he was in my neighbour's shed. The washing machine is in there and he reeked of washing powder for a few days. He was hungry and thirsty, but fine. I'm so glad your cat came home!

6cats3gingerkittens · 02/02/2016 13:24

She was gone for fourteen awful weeks in the coldest part of the year before she came back to me. She doesn't go out at all now. Silly girl was fine. No weight loss and soft fluffy fur. Someone had been feeding her.

Original poster

MEgirl · 02/02/2016 15:54

Apollo had duly been detained in the house. He is desperate to go outside but I'm biding my time. He is staying close to me at all times. This is his current position on my desk. The second one is from a couple of days ago.

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IHaveBrilloHair · 02/02/2016 15:56

My last cat, 8 months and then strolled up as if nothing had happened.

Original poster

MEgirl · 02/02/2016 15:57

When I say that he's been close, that's because he clings to me, not because I'm forcing him to. He's like a baby that want to be picked up all of the time. As soon as I sit down he's on my chest or more often on my face.

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MissHooliesCardigan · 03/02/2016 15:03

Glad he's come back. Our cat once went for 6 months and came back with a new collar with one of those little barrels on it - inside was a piece of paper saying that his name was Fluffy ( his name is Dave) complete with the 'owner's' phone number!

Original poster

MEgirl · 03/02/2016 21:16

He's been out today, came home, went out a second time and then had the flap closed behind him. He keeps throwing a strop because he can't get out. Oh well, at least I know he's safe and he can wait until the morning. I was very nervous this morning when he first went out but he came when I called him 90 minutes later.

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bertsdinner · 03/02/2016 21:32

I'm glad he came back ok. My new cat did this, I'd had him a week and he really carried on wanting to go out. So, I let him. He went missing for over 24 hours and I was beside myself.
I think he panicked and went to ground in a neighbours garden, I saw him in the street the following night and went out, armed with Dreamies, and grabbed him.
I was nervous letting him out again, but he does come back now.

hefzi · 03/02/2016 22:47

Our neighbour's cat regularly disappears for weeks on end -there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason for it, and we can never figure out where he's gone: but just as soon as she gives up and is totally heart-broken, he comes sauntering down the street (more often than not dragging a dead pigeon!). I think some cats really like to assert their independence!

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