Cat won't come home

[alessandrae83]

We've had our cat a couple months and shes been going out for a few weeks and coming back no problem. She doesn't go further than ours or neighbours gardens and I can still see her but she is refusing to come in. She will occasionally get to the door then bolt. Nothing has changed, not food, routine, where things are, no new babies or animals, nothing. I can't tempt her in even with high reward food. It's been 48 hours and she hasn't even been back in for food. She bolts when she sees me. The kids are sad. I'm sad. I don't know why :( she knows where we are, she isn't lost, just refusing to come inside.

How very odd. I'm sure she'll decide she wants to come in eventually. Keep on leaving food, even if she doesn't eat it. I'm assuming she's neutered?

I have cone to the conclusion some cars just prefer living outside. We list one to the feral cat gang, another seems tempted. Not helped by fact done neighbours leave food out for the wild cats.

Of course the weather is a big factor. Lots of mine hardly come inside at all in Summer but refuse to set a foot outside in Winter.

It was raining so bad last night and she still refused to come in and is sleeping on a neighbours old mattress and ignoring me.

She is spayed yes and microchipped, vaccinated but is due her flea treatment now that I can't do as she won't come back

One of my cats left the house and disappeared hen he had fleas. We’d had him for years before that so it was completely out of character. He was microchipped so someone found him and ok him to cat protection ( that’s where we got him) they contacted us and said it wasn’t unusual for them to hide when unwell

Do you have a cat flap? If not, can you put one in? When cats know they can always get out again if they want to they become more relaxed about coming in.

We don't and we rent and plan on moving out of here soon but she does get upset when I don't let her out when she wants. I don't like her out at night but she won't come back. She was acting fine when she went out and shes still running around so I think she's okay and just doesn't want to come back as she knows she will have to wait to to back out again. Surely she must be hungry though.

Have you checked the neighbours aren't feeding her? I recall our old boy suddenly start disappearing into the former neighbours garden and couldnt understand the attraction until I found they were tempting him in with bits of rubbish (left over bits of sausage and other processed stuff he didnt get here). You could also try something stronger smelling e.g. tuna and see if that tempts her in. Try to stay calm if she comes close to the door, even though you or the kids are excited to see her making a fuss might also alarm her for some strange cat reasoning. Good luck, let us know how you go on.

How long exactly have you had her and how soon after getting her did you start letting her out? When she's at home, how is she generally - relaxed and affectionate or still a bit shy and settling in? Sounds like she maybe started going out too early before she was bonded to you as her home...