Missing Cat

[barncat]

Free-living cats wander.... I am glad Reilly came back. If you live in a relatively safe environment, he will probably continue to come and go and have a home with you. Outdoor cats have lives that humans only share part of. I grew up with outdoor cats and the neighboring farms barncats coming over for tending and love. Bless you for loving him on his own terms.

These days all my cats live indoors and there are no strays letting me know they are around (the weather-proof shelters are still on my land, but only a family of (wild) bunnies lives in them at the moment. My county adopted the law that it is legal to shoot free-roaming cats, and, as I have a neighbor that is nasty, I no longer put out food unless a cat is letting me know he/she is there and then I begin the taming process. Being a free-roaming cat is no longer an even relatively safe way to live here any more.

There are many dangers out there for cats, but many joys too...

For those who have wanderers, never give up. My dear Sooty was gone on "business" for a year, came home (two-homed for a time) and then lived the remainder of a long life with me. Others used to only winter with me or only show up if they were sick or hurt.... funny how they knew.

Good wishes for all who wander and for those who offer comfort and homes.

[MommaCat]

Dear BC,
Blessings and light be with you. Thank you so much for your wisdom.
Do you live in Minnesota? I think they have a law that allows cats to be shot/killed.

It started raining yesterday and hasn't stopped. I was worried about Reilly's whereabouts....since he just returned where was he in this torrential rain. I have his new Cedar house all ready.. It has several coats of stain on it. I placed it on two pieces of plywood so it's off the ground. I was at the SPCA today getting ready for our Yard Sale... when I got home, I saw Reilly run out from under my husband's truck. I called his name and he stopped and looked at me. I grabbed his bowl.. washed it out.. and gave my baby fresh water and food and put it on the plywood wher ehis house is... how much more of a hint is that? I went inside.. came back out, and he acted like he was still hungry. I grabbed another can as he stillhad some dried food left...I touched the inside of the house an dit was still dry.....how can I get him to use the house and to know that it is for him, and not the raccoons, possum etc? I blest his house, cleansed it with white sage and infused it with Reiki.

BC.. I adore this little guy. My heart breaks thinking of him out in the rain and cold. My 5 fur children are safe inside now.. after being adopted from our SPCA, and having led lives in hell before being rescused by our SPCA.

If I cannot bring Reilly inside, as he seems to be a free spirit.. what can I do to make his life more comfortable? You seem to have a special afinity and knowledge for free roamers.. I love him.. and went thru my own personal hell these past 2 weeks thinking something had happened to him....what can I do to make his life more comfortable?

Blessings,
Deb

[Dallas1pd]

Put lots of nice fresh hay inside the dog house, no blankets because they tend to get wet. Hopefully when it gets cool, he will use it.

I have two of my own feral cats, that I adore. I would love to bring them inside, but they will only let me get so close. They've been here for two years. They were spayed/neutered last year after I spent weeks trying to trap them. They climb across my fence, along the porch and onto the family room roof, and look inside the kitchen and dining room windows.

They have 3 dog houses - including one outside the front door. And it took them a while, but they now use two of them. We shovel the front of the house first during snow, and my husband blows paths through the yard for them.

Just give it some time, and be patient. Cats are amazing survivors! And extremely smart.

Here is Fuzzy looking in the dining room and talking to Max.

Dallas

[MommaCat]

Hi Dallas,
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
How often should I change the straw in Reilly's little cedar house? Should I use hay or straw or does it matter? I have also thought of putting straw around the house under the deck so it's not as muddy for him. I have to regain his trust after his disappearance of almost 2 weeks. I adore him Dallas.. and I worry about him being outside especially when the weather turns cold.

I haven't seen him today...but I htink he knows that I love him and I am here for him. I have seen him walk on the deck and look inside at my fur sons. It breaks my heart Dallas.

Did you trap your wandering fur child or did you gain enough trust to pick him up and able to take him to the vet?I Am so afraid that if I trap him and once all taken care of and brought back here.. he'd run off and never come back. He is SO SKITTISH.I had made 5 steps forward and now have gone 3 steps back since he disappeared anr returned.

THank you so much for your helpful input. Andagain does it matter if I use hay or straw?

Blessings,
Deb

[mruffruff]

If you trap him and release him in your yard, he'll still hang around. I've done this with more than 20 cats over the last 2 years and they always come back.

As an example, there is Louise. She is a calico that I trapped in late February. I had her spayed, shots done and released her back into my front yard. There were several others that I did around the same time. None have left yet.

I have a pen on the side of the house that opens into the cat's room. My seven have been inside for 3 years and not one has escaped. But Louise has been brought into the house (twice) and found a way out of the pen. Last night she ate dinner in the cat room.

Guess who was on my front porch for breakfast this morning?

I feed them all at the same time every morning and night and slowly reach out to touch them. I can pet them all while they eat now. But I still can't pick them up. Louise spends her days on the porch and loves a tail scritching.

I worry every time one of them mises a mealtime. It's the price you pay for having outside cats. And why I'm moving as many as I can inside.


They now come running when I shake the Temptations bag.

[MommaCat]

Thank you so much for your helpful hints.
I think Barn Cat had suggested that I use hay in his house instead of blankets... Can I use Straw instead of hay? Does it make any difference?

Thanks,
deb

[Dallas1pd]

Straw or hay is fine. It's really just for insulation - it will keep him warm as the weather turns cold. Change it when it gets dirty - that just depends on the cat.

What I did with all my ferals was trap them, take them to the shelter for spay/neuter. The shelter keeps them for a week, to ensure they are ok. Once home - they get a huge dog crate for another week inside the house. Then I take the crate outside and let them go. They take off for the hills - but are back by next morning for breakfast.