Cat keeps running away

[EbonanzaScrooge]

Hello! Hoping for some advice.

Total cat novice here and we recently ‘adopted’ two cats from a family member who passed. We had trouble getting them rehomed via any charities so decided to try them living with us for a while. So we kept them indoors for two weeks then took them both out for walks via a leash (please don’t laugh!)

One of the cats has settled well and as they were outdoor has now been going out and coming home quite normally but the other cat who seems to be ok in the house (eats,plays,sleeps) keeps running back to his old home.

We can’t keep going back and bringing him home, the new owners are not pet friendly and aren’t happy about it. I don’t want to force him indoors permanent as he enjoys the outdoors and has always been an outdoor cat but I’m now at a loss as he obviously doesn’t want to be here.

Do we persist or just give up and try to rehome him via a charity again?

Is a catio or securing part of your garden a possibility?

@DinkyDaisy unfortunately not. We don’t have much of a garden it’s just a bit out the front

I see, that is tricky.
Does the other cat need to stay in a bit longer? Hard if the other goes out. Hope someone else comes with better advice...

Keep them both in for a solid month. If that doesn't work perhaps the wanderer will have to go elsewhere as a house cat?

I'd go back to going out on a leash for now. And I'm not laughing - my cat is a house cat who gets two walks a day 😂

@thecatneuterer sorry to @ you but are you able to advise?

I think you need to keep them in for much longer than two weeks - 6-8 weeks is better if that's at all possible. You really need to try and establish that this is their home now.

Then start to let them out about an hour or so before they're due to be fed. Call them in (use food to entice them if needs be) and get them back indoors (shut in) for their meals.

Gradually you should be able to increase the length of time they're out before calling them for their dinner. Keeping to a feeding schedule for their wet food should really help if possible. Mine absolutely know when it's meal time and will shout at me until I feed them

I used to have my cats in a routine out for a pee in for breakfast looked in till school run was over then out till lunchtime called in for food and locked up till school run was over out till tea time in for the night time if I was out for ghe day they stayed in if I was in they could go out they still stuck to the same routine of back for lunch in for tea even if I was home all day

Two weeks isn't nearly long enough. In the circumstances I would make it two months. And ditch the leads - most cats find them distressing. And do you have a cat flap? If they can't get in easily they may be more inclined to go to their old home.

Thanks everyone for the advice! We’ll try again for longer this time

@YesItsMeIDontCare trust tried the leash again. He played dead and is refusing to look at me now 😂

@thecatneuterer we rent so aren’t allowed to adapt that way unfortunately.