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Any advice? Getting back a cat who's slipped outside

post #1 of 14
3/19/11 at 12:37am
Thread Starter 
Fortunately for me and my girls, this isn't a problem with my cats, but I want to help a friend. I'm also sorry about the location of this thread. I wasn't sure where to put it.

My friend's cat got out of the house when a guest left the door open. She hasn't been seen since this morning. Goldy is about 10+ years old and has never been outside before.

I have to be very careful with Molly because she will dart out the door when not supervised carefully, but when she has gotten out, I've always been able to get her back by calling her, and when that fails, using food.

The problem with getting Goldy back is that she's not food motivated, and no clinking of cans, kibble, or the smell of tuna will get her to come out. We think she's underneath/inside of a trailer that's in the back of the property.

The other problem. My friend has several feral/semi-feral cats she feeds who have taken up residence around her property. Goldy is terrified of these cats and a few of them have been known to try to attack her through a window. We're worried she'll be injured by one of these cats or refuse to come out of hiding because they're around.

Does anyone have any advice?

I thought about rounding up the ferals in order to help Goldy to be coaxed out, but many are so "street smart" and have absolutely ignored humane traps loaded with good foods, or circled them suspiciously and then run away.
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post #2 of 14
3/19/11 at 7:24am
First I'd find out if Goldy is actually under or in the trailer by using a flashlight. Since my cats are close to me, as far as humans, I wouldn't get any help because other people would prevent them from coming out.


Once your friend really knows Goldy is there, she could sit out there, on the ground if Goldy is under the trailer, and quietly coax her. Or maybe mostly just sit there for some time (read?). A food she likes a lot, especially something very stinky, like human tuna, heated up a little, may lure her out. I know you said Goldy is not so interested in food. But if she gets hungry enough she will be.

If she is scared, it's probably going to take some time and quietly waiting, but letting Goldy know her meowmy is there, will help her to come out. And your friend's presence should keep the ferals away. They should be kept away until Goldy is home.

This may take some time. It could take all day, into the night or longer. Your friend needs to keep the ferals from bothering Goldy so she feels safe enough to come out.

Good luck! Please let us know how it goes.


Robin
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post #3 of 14
3/19/11 at 7:33pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for your advice. Like you said, I'm just looking for ideas; my friend will have to do the work. I would love to be able to help, but like any scared cat Goldy will shy away from me and the other people who want to help her. She's a timid cat by nature, anyway.

We know Goldy did go under the trailer and up inside the bottom, kind of like how a cat can get inside a mattress/bed frame from underneath. We're assuming she's still there, but you're right, we'll have to check.

The ferals will probably stay away. Usually you can see them, they just stay in a far, strategic place to get away as fast as possible should a person try to approach. The cat Goldy hates the most is one who's not scared. I don't think she's a feral, more of a stray who was very scared. She acted like it at first (aggressive, timid, fearful, waited until we were gone to eat), but within a week or so she let people pet her and will eat out of your hand. She's relaxed around people enough to stretch out on her back and let people rub her tummy. Anyway, she can be taken care of because there won't be any trapping required.

I'm going to call my friend and ask how everything is, if she's seen Goldy tonight, and tell her the things you said.
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post #4 of 14
3/20/11 at 9:04am
Check out the Cats SOS forum for lots of great advice, too.
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post #5 of 14
3/22/11 at 12:28pm
Poor Goldy.... This is one of my biggest fears and I would be a emotional wreck. If your friend knows Goldy is under that trailer, I would camp out there literally, all day and night. Eventually, Goldy will come to her meowmy, #1 because she is hungry #2 because she knows she shouldn't be outside and is very scared #3 she knows her meowmy is there to rescue her. Your friend just has to be patient and just sit and wait it out. Let us know what happens..... for Goldy to come out of that trailer
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post #6 of 14
3/22/11 at 12:44pm
Any word about Goldy yet? I know that our household pet Ling would be hard to catch if she got out. We can't even catch her in the house most of the time. She's weird - she can't be caught unless she wants to be caught.

She's not food motivated either, but we might bribe her with toys - and that's a 50/50 chance of catching her. She would not be a cat to walk up to strangers.

Guess its good she's not a show cat, cause if she ever got away from the judge on the table, we'd never catch her in the show hall!
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post #7 of 14
3/22/11 at 1:36pm
check out one of my websites www.lost-pets.org
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post #8 of 14
3/23/11 at 12:07pm
Any news???? Been thinking about Goldy today
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post #9 of 14
3/23/11 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 
Goldy came back last night!

Sandy (my friend) stationed herself against the trailer (she recently fractured her knee and can't get underneath) with tuna, cat food, soft calls, but nothing happened. She could see Goldy's eyes glowing with a flashlight and hear her meowing but she wouldn't come. Then yesterday she put her other cat in the bedroom and left the door open. Goldy just came up the steps and inside.

I feel so relieved!
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post #10 of 14
3/24/11 at 8:01pm
Happy news what a great idea that was to leave the door open, that is just what Goldy was waiting for I guess. Glad she is safe inside now
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post #11 of 14
3/25/11 at 3:56am
Glad she's back! Leaving the way the cat got out open is always advised. Only it isn't practical in a lot of cases.

"But all's well that ends well."

Robin
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post #12 of 14
3/25/11 at 12:43pm
Thread Starter 
Ordinarily she wouldn't have, because she didn't want her other cat to get out, and Blackie (the stray that fights with everyone and hates Goldy) will come inside of her house, too. But this time the other kitty was in another room and Blackie was with the neighbor, who has taken a liking to her. I'm just so glad Goldy is okay. I was so worried about her.
There's not much of a chance of her getting hit by a car or poisoned out here, but the dangers out here are bad anyway, basically other critters; javelina, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, coming off worse in a fight with a feral, etc.
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post #13 of 14
3/25/11 at 1:53pm
Besides unwanted visitors, the other reason leaving the door open where I am is a problem is that temperature highs are in the 30's ° F. right now.

Did Goldy come back in at night or during the day?


Robin
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post #14 of 14
3/26/11 at 12:49am
Thread Starter 
It's been really warm here in Arizona. The highs have been in the 80°- 90° range.
(BTW, I don't know if your keyboard may have it, but mine doesn't, so I stole this (copy and paste): ° )
She came back at night, when it was colder, but as I've heard, she seemed to be waiting for it, and came running in within 15 minutes or so. I saw her today and I was so glad to see her happy and healthy. I'm very fond of my friend's cats, Goldy (orange tabby with white), and Soma (17 year old girl, black and white bicolor).
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