Zach is back!!!!!

I am praising God today!! Zach has returned!! I went to the old office today and there he was!! I could not believe it. It is about a 4 mile journey and he had to cross a busy road. I don't know how he did it, but I was praying for his safety and return and my prayers have been answered. He was so happy to get back inside and I left him in the office just to relax for a while. I will be moving him back to the new office tonight, there will be real estate people going through the building tomorrow and I don't want them to put him out. We are going to use every single precaution to keep him safe and help him adjust to his new home. Thanks to everyone for advice and for your concern.

I am so glad he is back! I had been following your search, and sending vibes and prayers.

What great news! Isn't it amazing what those little peanut cat brains can do, sometimes?

Thank you! Yes, it is amazing. If you could see the area, I still cannot believe he made it back. Railroad tracks, four sets of them and a busy road. I am still pinching myself he is back. I just want to hug and kiss him! My husband even said I could bring him here, but we are really above our limit and he is very much loved and cared for at the office. It is going to be top priority on watching him very closely so this does not happen again. I don't think I could go through this again, he was all I could think of when he was missing.

I'm so happy you were able to find him. It is amazing what they can do. I hope he learns to adjust to his new home & learns that he belongs with the people who love him.

I am SO GLAD you decided to check the old warehouse - four miles is NOT far for a kitty! But that is AMAZING, and I'm so so so so so so so glad he's back with you. He must be just as relieved as you are.

you're able to contain him in the new office at the new warehouse until he understands that THAT is now home.



Laurie

That's great news! that you can keep him inside the new office for about six weeks now, till he knows that's home.

Thanks again so much everyone!! I have gotten some great advice. He is very happy, constantly purring, kneading all over me and drooling buckets. Hopefully his journey was enough of the outdoors for him.

We will do our very best to never have this happen again, but in case it ever does, I have been given some advice and I would like to hear what you think too.

The woman who tried to help me trap him last year suggested that I put him in a dog crate, with a lock on it, and just let him sit in there for an hour or so every day, in the warehouse with the door open to let him take in his new surroundings. Let him see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the air. Then perhaps put the crate, with me watching of course, out in the small grassy area behind the warehouse. This way if he does ever sneak out again, which I pray he doesn't, he will feel more familiar. That way he would also be able to get some fresh air too. The remodeling in the warehouse is done so the door will not be open during the day anymore.

Today after work, he actually fell asleep on my lap. It was probably the first sound sleep he has had in a week!

I don't know about putting the crate outside - but I think putting him in a large crate in the warehouse as per her instructions isn't such a bad idea. It's not like the sounds are completely unsual to him - right? I mean - this wouldn't be an exercise in terror?

The real problem is that he was only in his new "territory" for a week. When moving ferals, it is recommended that they be kept in crates outside for at least three weeks, being fed on a very regular schedule, not free fed. That way, when they're released, they've been there long enough to have adjusted to the schedule, so they explore the new territory outside, but come back for the regular meal.

I think establishing whatever kind of routine you can for the next month or so will go a long way. And feeding him in the crate that will be placed in the warehouse - in the same spot - if done at the same time every day - would go a long way to helping him know where and when to go if he ever does escape into the warehouse again.

But if he's on a schedule for feeding for the next month, if he ever does escape, he will most likely come back for that food, since he'll know where and when it will happen.

It's just that he escaped too soon after your move, and poor baby was confused.

Laurie

Thanks. Right now he is the office part of the building, he moves about as he pleases. The front door is kept locked so he can't get out on to the street. We were only going to put him into the crate with the warehouse door open to the outside so he could get a sense of his new surroundings. It is very much different from where he was. There is junkyard over the hillside past the railroad tracks. There are alot of different sounds and much more traffic from where he was before. I don't want him to ever get out but she suggested that if we put him in a crate for a little bit each day after reintroducing him to the office, if he ever should get out again, he would not be as confused.

At first I thought he might not want to come back in after being out for almost a week but he is quite content. When the work in the warehouse in completed and the door is kept closed, he will have fun exploring and running around out there. I think he just got scared and ran out the door and couldn't find his way back.

I just want to do the very best thing for him, I know he is happy with us and I want to keep it that way.