Male Cat Went Out For a Walk......

Hello- we have a girl cat in our house, never goes outside. Two summers ago, a male yellow cat showed up on our front porch. Has been with us since but has never been inside. Has no interest in it. We moved into a new neighborhood 1 month ago today. We of course moved him with us. He seemed to love it, has lots of wooded area to run- but he stayed close around the house. Last week we left on vacation and the person taking care of the cats said she saw him in his house on our front porch last Thursday. We got home Saturday and still have yet to see him. I have been worried about him because he hasn't even been by to eat- do you think there is a chance he will return? I am told cats know where they live- it's just been a week now. My husband said he saw him in the neighborhood two nights ago and called out to him- he looked at him but didn't run home. Do you think he's just out exploring? He has left before for 1 week-2 weeks and then showed up out of nowhere. But this is a new neighborhood- and I'm just worried he has no idea where we are. Thanks for any input you can give me.

I'm guessing he is out exploring. Even if there were dogs in your area, as long as they weren't trained killers, I wouldn't worry too much. Cats are very smart and often times you can watch a dog run up on them and they will lay there or hiss. It's almost as though they know which dogs will be threatened if they react and which dogs will run away if they hiss at it. We had a farm cat that somehow ended up 7 miles away in town, we think he was in the hog trailer when we went through town. He had a frost bit ear so we knew it was him. He wouldn't let us catch him so us kids cried all the way home and three weeks later he showed up!!! Cats are way smarter than you think! I bet he will be ok!

I'd be concerned because if he hasn't established your new neighborhood as his territory yet, he may be on the way back to his old one.

Yes, exactly -- can you ask your former neighbors to keep a lookout for him?