I posted last year about one of our cats going missing. He was reportedly 'ran over' by a tractor cutting grass outside our house. My husband and I searched the field many times and found literally no trace of him or any kind of accident but, given he has never returned we were just left wondering. Anyway 10 months later a lady nearby has posted on a local Facebook group about a 'stray', she is less than 1km away from us. She posted a picture but the cat has its face thoroughly stuffed in a food bowl, but from what he can see it really could be him.
She has said she first noticed him last autumn, he sleeps on her balcony and disappears as soon she opens the door. She has a ladder from her balcony (shes on the 1st floor) into a tree to get down and then promptly disappears. The lady also has a boy cat of her own who is frustratingly similar to this 'stray'.
We have been out calling him, and we did manage to follow him but he was inside other people's gardens and too far away to make a definite identification. My husband has also been getting up at 5:30 and being at the lady's house waiting for him to come down off the balcony, but has been caught out and ended up following, calling the Lady's cat instead.
We're not permitted to use a cat trap (we're in Germany) and calling doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere. Added problem is that the property backs on to a lightly wooded area which isn't hugely accessible. Does anyone have any suggestion as to how we might be able to catch this cat? We do have our cats Mum with us, and we do have permission to enter the Lady's garden.