Cat doesn't want to return home

[OnlyBoobsandBabies]

I was wondering if there was a vet or someone that's been in a similar situation.

We've had our cat for over ten years and in the past three weeks she doesn't seem bothered to come home.

We have two children under the age of five but she's always just stayed clear of them and they've never done anything to scare or hurt her. Plenty of hiding places around the house.

I'm not sure if it's to do with the warm weather but she now hangs out in an empty house back garden full of branches and hiding places, this house is two doors away.
We go and feed her in the morning and give her water because I'm pretty sure no one else is feeding her. She did this last summer but always came back to be fed.

She comes over cuddles and approaches me but when I carry her back in the house she gets loud and runs back out and doesn't come back.

Any advice would be amazing!

Just keep feeding her, maybe put the food in your back garden so that she knows it is there when she needs it.

Are you sure they are healthy?

If that was my cat I'd be taking her to the vets for a check up.

Yeah the hiding thing is usually a red flag for being really sick, no?

I’d take her to the vet.

Aw I wonder what's the matter. I'd be heartbroken if my cat didn't want to come home.

Your cat is clearly telling you that she doesn't want to come into your house, but that she still loves you. It may well be that she wants peace and quiet away from your children, and so she's found somewhere that is very near but gives her that rest. Certainly get her checked out by a vet to make sure there's no underlying condition going on.

Also I find that in summer time all my cats past and present preferred to spend more time away from home just chilling somewhere (we're quite rural).

We are also rural and surrounded by fields and farms. She did this last summer and spent 90% outside and just popped into be fed.

She's eating like a horse and drinking water and not hissing at me when I approach her and is walking fine. I will take her to the vets just in case but it might be because of her age and wanting some peace.

I am pretty upset too because we cuddle all the time 😞