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Original poster

The secret life of my cat

24 replies

TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 16:22

Last week, my cat went missing for 5 heartbreaking days. He came back thinner and very tired.

We have now bought a tracker collar for him, it seems he has a whole secret life. We assumed he wouldn't travel far as he has an previously injured leg. How wrong were we!

It seems he travels around 2 miles ago, visits at least 3 different houses and crosses quite a busy road! I'm enjoying analysing the data from the tracker to see if he has a set routine.

Has anyone else discovered that their cat has a secret life?

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 25/02/2022 16:28

I've been trying to persuade my parents to put a tracker on their cat. I'd love to know what he gets up too. And why he's so portly when they limit his food!

BluerThanRobinsEggs · 25/02/2022 16:31

Had the same shocker with ours after we got a tracker. And then again when some guy up the road lost his cat and came knocking asking if our cat had seen his lost cat as they were "best friends" - this is the same territorial cat who is always chasing off any other cat from our garden, but this guy claimed the two of them were besties always hanging out in his garden which is how he'd got our address from her collar tag.

Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 16:34

@Toddlerteaplease

I've been trying to persuade my parents to put a tracker on their cat. I'd love to know what he gets up too. And why he's so portly when they limit his food!
I definitely recommend it. I feel like I barely know him!
OP posts:
Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 16:36

@BluerThanRobinsEggs

Had the same shocker with ours after we got a tracker. And then again when some guy up the road lost his cat and came knocking asking if our cat had seen his lost cat as they were "best friends" - this is the same territorial cat who is always chasing off any other cat from our garden, but this guy claimed the two of them were besties always hanging out in his garden which is how he'd got our address from her collar tag.
Did your tracker show that your cat has a routine?

We also had a phone call today from a neighbour to say that my cat was visiting him. All the neighbours have our phone number now from our "missing cat" leaflet.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 25/02/2022 16:42

This is like that bbc documentary where they tracked all the cats in a village and people found out what rat bags their cat was. One woman found out she was feeding a stray who came in when she was out so she adopted him.

“Do you think tiny female cat goes far or fights?” “Oh no, she stays close to the house, always comes in quickly when we call her in” .

Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 16:45

@Fluffycloudland77

This is like that bbc documentary where they tracked all the cats in a village and people found out what rat bags their cat was. One woman found out she was feeding a stray who came in when she was out so she adopted him.

“Do you think tiny female cat goes far or fights?” “Oh no, she stays close to the house, always comes in quickly when we call her in” .

I wonder if the documentary is still available?
OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 25/02/2022 16:48

I would love to do this. Can I ask which tracker you have?

It might have been a different programme but try The Secret Life of Pets.

Pixiedust1234 · 25/02/2022 16:54

Nevermind. It has the same title as your thread Grin Maybe its on youtube instead

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b02xcvhw#:~:text=Horizon%20discovers%20what%20your%20cat,their%20every%20movement%20is%20recorded.

HiCandles · 25/02/2022 16:55

I can't remember the documentary name but I watched it, it was fantastic. What tracker did you get OP? I'd love to put one on my two, I have a feeling they're far more adventurous than I'd expect.

Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 16:59

Thank you @Pixiedust1234, I think it's available on YouTube.

@HiCandles we bought the Tractive collar. DH bought it off eBay and we have paid the monthly subscription of £8. We are happy to pay the monthly fee incase the cat disappears again. We think he got shut in somewhere.

I'm not too happy that he crosses a busy road, I don't suppose sitting him down to discuss the dangers will help?

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 25/02/2022 17:07

Is he in overnight? The road would worry me too.

Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 17:11

@Fluffycloudland77

Is he in overnight? The road would worry me too.
Yes, we have 3 cats and they are all kept in at nighttime. I really don't like them being out once it gets dark.
OP posts:
MyBottleOfRibena · 25/02/2022 17:11

My cats trackers would show them sitting in the house, and sitting in the garden. They leave the house for about 3 minutes a day 🤣 I was very surprised how lazy they were when I started WFH

gogohm · 25/02/2022 17:26

@MyBottleOfRibena we thought this but dcat sneaks out about 1am but is curled up when I get up at 7am. We spotted her one night then realised she was leaving fluff on the fence, it's thick!

Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 17:27

@MyBottleOfRibena

My cats trackers would show them sitting in the house, and sitting in the garden. They leave the house for about 3 minutes a day 🤣 I was very surprised how lazy they were when I started WFH
Didn't your cats ever go on any adventures?
OP posts:
Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 17:28

[quote gogohm]@MyBottleOfRibena we thought this but dcat sneaks out about 1am but is curled up when I get up at 7am. We spotted her one night then realised she was leaving fluff on the fence, it's thick![/quote]
Sounds like your cat was leading a secret, almost double life!

OP posts:
MyBottleOfRibena · 25/02/2022 17:41

They really don’t! They are not out at night, so I know they aren’t going on adventures then. One of my cats used to visit the old lady over the road, but only briefly. The other one NEVER leaves the garden.

My old boy cat used to go all over the place though, and was hit by a car and died quite a long way from the house 🙁

Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 17:55

Hmmm we have hit a tracker problem. Cat has abandoned the tracker in our neighbours garden whilst he is asleep on my bed.

OP posts:
SnowdaySewday · 25/02/2022 17:57

@Toddlerteaplease

I've been trying to persuade my parents to put a tracker on their cat. I'd love to know what he gets up too. And why he's so portly when they limit his food!
Our vet nurse suggested putting a paper collar on girl-cat (who doesn’t lose weight, despite being on a diet) with a message saying, “If you are feeding me regularly, please ring this number…”

She says the record number of responses one of her clients got by doing this was 16.

Fluffycloudland77 · 25/02/2022 18:12

Now that’s a cat with skills.

OneSwallow · 25/02/2022 18:24

Hmm. Might explain why my car is portly even though she’s on a diet!

Pixiedust1234 · 25/02/2022 18:34

@TotoAnnihiliation

Hmmm we have hit a tracker problem. Cat has abandoned the tracker in our neighbours garden whilst he is asleep on my bed.
Be grateful he doesn't have opposable thumbs. He could have put it on another cat Grin
Original poster
TotoAnnihiliation · 25/02/2022 19:30

For a moment I thought the cat had some attached his tracker to the neighbours. DH came back and said I can't get into the neighbours garden as they are at the pub.

My mind being very slow, said eh? How do you know this? Apparently via ring doorbell 🤣

OP posts:
HiCandles · 25/02/2022 21:05

@TotoAnnihiliation thanks! Clever cat though leaving his tracker out. So it seems like everything else in life, cats do what they like

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