My cat won't come home

[bluey]

If anyone can advise me on this I would apprecitate it. My cat Mushroom is not coming home at night. Up until two weeks ago she was sleeping on my bed at night and I would let her out during the day. I have to trap her inside when I hear her eating at her food bowls and sometimes I'm chasing her around at 2am to get her to come inside. When she's inside, she seems happy and sleeps right next to me. When this started, she came in one day with chunks of fur missing on her back and she had a cut that was bleeding too. She's not an aggressive cat so maybe the other cats are intimidating her to not go home. I've also had at least two neighbors cats just wander in my apartment to help themselves to Mushroom's food. What should I do to make her come home at night again? Help!

[Ben E Gas]

Such a sad but somewhat funny story. I mean funny because the other cats think they can come into your house. I'm not really sure what you should do though.

[margaret]

Poor you and poor Mushroom! I'm afraid my only suggestion would be not to let Mushroom outside anymore (once you get her back home). I'm in the "Cats Indoors Only" camp, though, so someone else might have different advice. Especially since Mushroom was injured once before, during one of her adventures outdoors, I would think it'd be best to keep her inside from now on. But she probably won't like being kept indoors, since she's used to being able to go where and when she pleases. I would also suggest not letting anyone else's cats into your apartment. I don't know how easy it is for them to get in. Do you have a cat door they walk through?

[bluey]

Thanks for the advice. It is a funny story. She's in right now so I may keep her in although she doesn't like it. I live on a hill and I have a plank of wood running off my balcony so Mushroom can get on and off whenever she wants but so do other cats. I can lock my sliding balcony door a couple of inches open so she gets in an out while I'm not here. My vet told me to leave food out all the time and she would only eat what she wanted but the other cats are getting to it too. I've kept her in for a few days but when I let her go out, she doesn't come home at night again. I'll have to work something out.

[wolflady]

Hi Bluey and welcome to pet talk! So sorry to hear about the occurrences with Mushroom! This could be a potententially bad situation and I'm with Margaret in that you might want to try and keep Mushroom inside for awhile. Of course, I'm biased and prefer indoor cat life, but with her getting injured it might in her best interest. At least until she heals. It sounds like she's encountering other cats (or possibly wild animals) that are fighting over their territory. Is she fixed?

[thelmalu99]

Hi Bluey.
I would just like to echo everybody's sentiments: I'm really glad Mushroom is home! (what a cute name!)
I agree that it would be smart to keep her indoors now. There are obviously aggressive cats in you area and I'd hate for her to get hurt again.
My friend's cat, Pebbles always went out, but once she disappeared for a few weeks. When she came back, she was injured and had lost a lot of weight. Everyone was worried sick. Now she is strictly an indoor cat. In the beginning, she was not very happy about it, but she got used to it. Now she never tries to get out.
Please understand that I'm not telling you this to scare you...It's just that I know you're worried...we all want to keep our beloved pets as safe as possible.

[bluey]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I feel much better hearing all the comments. I'm afraid my Mushroom is staying inside for quite some time. I haven't taken her to a vet in a while so with some concerns over diseases from other cats, I think I will take her for that awful car drive she hates so much. She's been fixed by the way. I got her at a shelter and she was found on the streets and they were about to put her to sleep the next day when I took her. She's adorable now but very jumpy with sudden noises and hates being picked up even now. She'll be two in June and I've had her for a year a half. She purrs like crazy when she's on my bed which is where she is right now. She's not aggressive with the other cats but there are new cats in the neighborhood and I hear them fighting at night. She loves being outside so it's going to be hard to keep her in now. I'll have to though. Thanks for all the advice. I'm a new Mum and I'm loving it. She's my first solo cat responsibility.

[This message has been edited by bluey (edited April 02, 2001).]

[4 feline house]

Bluey-

Something that wasn't mentioned here that might be of interest - cats are nocturnal animals. If she should happen to get out again, be sure and round her up well before dusk - you'll have better luck finding her and getting her to come in. In fact, when she is out during the day she is probably very close by snoozing somewhere. Once twilight comes, however, she is prowling and will be very relunctant to come in, and may even be as far away as several blocks from home. Hope this helps if she gets out again or if you decide to try letting her out for short times in the day.

[bluey]

By the way Spencer.....are fake fica trees easy to get a hold of? Will the pets stores have them? I hate those other pet scratcher things. If I bought one of those things, it would be the biggest thing in my apartment. And the ugliest. I have a small apartment and I do feel like I would be torturing Mushroom if I made her stay in all the time. I'm going to do it for a while and I might let her out during the day when I'm at home.

[Pam]

Bluey...I have to agree with most everyone on this post. Outside can be a scary place for a cat and if at all possible I would encourage you to try to keep her inside. She is still relatively young so maybe the change-over won't be as hard as if you had waited til she was older and "set in her ways." Both of my cats are inside only cats and believe me there is much less to worry about. Some people here at Pet Talk have created outside enclosures for their cats but unfortunately that would be a little hard to do for you off a balcony. By the way, I love the name Mushroom!

[bluey]

Thanks Spencer. I just ordered the cider scratching post. Hopefully Mushroom will use it. She has a collar and a name and phone number tag on whenever she goes out. Thats the only way I hear her when she sneaks in at night to eat at 2am and I can close the balcony door to capture her. Look what I have to resort to!

[gini]

Aside from everyone's advice to keep Mushroom indoors, 4 Feline's has the best advice about getting Mushroom in before dark.
I used to have the exact same problem with my black cat, Magic (rainbow bridge). If I went to pick him up at say 5 - 5:30 I had no problem. But if I waited any longer he was already "in the mood" for dark and adventures.

I too, hate to confine my cats to the house, but with ferals running around loose, I just don't have much choice. It upsets me to see them hurt. And Spencer is so right about the possibility of diseases.

Lots of toys, catnip, scratching post - good play time from you - could keep her happy and safe. And usually there is so much traffic around apartments and people drive way too fast - too fast for a kitty.

Good luck with Mushroom - what a great name.
And isn't she clever to use that board and get in and out of your apartment. Sounds like she sent open invitations to her neighborhood buddies - free food at my house!!

[bluey]

I'll be shopping for Mushroom on the weekend by the sound of it. Thanks for the advice to buy more toys. Mushroom thanks you.
By the way, she once got up on the kitchen sink and with her face to me squatted over the sink and peeed in it in front of me. Does that mean she thinks I should clean her box? I couldn't believe it.

[Vi Co Bi]

Glad to hear Mushroom returned to you. It's an awful feeling not knowing where they are or if they are okay. With your help she'll probably adjust to indoor life quite well. Just remember, you'll be her entertainment now.

If Mushroom didn't have a problem using the kitchen sink for a tinkle, she might be a good candidate to try to toilet train. I've tried it before and it worked quite well for 4, in a house of 6, cats. Well, until I forgot to take the training pan out because I was sick and I used their training pan. None of them would ever use the pan again - not even a new one. Just watch the weight requirements on the training pan you use. I'd give anything if I could train the ones I have now, but two of the three are over the weight limit. (Does anyone know if they make "plus sized" toilet training kits?)

[2catsmom]

Hi!!

I think it's great that you toilet trained your cats!... Here's a great site I found on the subject and gives step by step instruction on how to be successful.
http://www.karawynn.net/mishacat/toilet.shtml

Good luck and keep us posted!

Ciao for now...

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Happiness is only a purrr away...