Fluffy got out of the house last night (ETA: Fluffy's back!)

Fluffy saw her chance when I opened the door to put out food for the outside cats and ran out before I could grab her. She has been paw fighting the outside cats through the storm door and I think maybe one of them was nearby.  I live on the border of Cleveland OH and Brooklyn. She's a longhaired grey with a white stripe down her nose. Her front paws have some white on them. The tip of her left ear has been cut as is the way to show she was TNR. This was before I got her as a stray. She's been an indoor cat for over two yrs. now and has never been out so she doesn't know the neighboorhood. She is somewhat shy. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of her, my camera is at my daughter's house. I will post her pix as soon as I can. If anyone in my area sees her please let me know by PM. I'm so worried about her.

This site has some good advice: Recovery Tips - Lost Cat Behavior
that you find her soon!

Fluffy is still missing, I've put up flyers, my daughter spent all yesterday scouring the neighborhood and talking to people.  I placed an ad in the local paper to start tomorrow.  I'm not so concerned about her being hungry since a lot of people in our developement put out food for strays. I just want her home.

Chances are she's near by, but too frightened to come out. Sit outside at dawn and dusk. Sit still and speak softly. When she comes out, don't jump up and try to grab her, this will chase her away. Let her come to you.

I know of someone whose indoor cat was outside for almost two weeks. They finally got her in by sleeping outside over night. Sometime in the night the kitty, as was her habit inside, came and curled up with the human, who was sleeping on the patio. If that is feasible, you might try it.

Put her used litter all around the edges of the yard and lead a trail of it to the house. Cats function mostly by sense of smell. Put something you have worn outside.

I am praying for your Fluffy.

MEGA vibes that you find Fluffy. Keep up with what you are doing. Best thing is to talk to everyone in the neighborhood. IF there are other stray cats, they might be really setting Fluffy off of making sense of where she is, even if it is close by. You are doing everything right and I hope that you find your kitty very, very soon. :cross: Here is another helpful tip article http://www.lost-pets.org/content/view/3/1/

Its now five days since Fluffy escaped. But good news, I live in a 600 development, all open yards no fences, Thursday night when my grandaughter went to her car and opened the door Fluffy ran out from underneath and disappeared into darkness. The unit I live in faces another row of houses across a common drive. Last night when my neighbor opened his car door Fluffy was on the porch with his cat. She ran before he could catch her. My daughter then scoured the area she ran to using a flashlight. She located her lying against a unit, and called me to bring the car. Just as I got to where she was she took off again. We searched for awhile but decided not to scare her out of the area and stopped looking. I have another neighbor who is a night owl and saw Fluffy back in our drive about 3:00AM. Its impossible to leave food out because we're just feeding the skunks and possums. Also I can't try a trap since the same night owl neighbor has made pets out of about 5 outside cats and most likely I'd just get one of them. Now how do I entice her into the house? I've got my worn clothing outside and her toys. How do I get her to my door at night is my problem. I live in the middle of 4 units. The night owl neighbor is on the end with a lot of green area and thats where all the cats congregate. After this long of a time away from home would she even recognize me? Advice pleasw 

I think you need to sit out there, where she's hanging out in the evening and early morning. Dawn and dusk, especially.

Is she a lap cat? Does she like joining you when you are sitting, reading for example? Or lying down or sleeping. Set yourself up in one of those familiar scenarios, even bring out a favorite easy chair if possible. Or spread a sleeping bag on the ground and lie on it.

If your personal safety is an issue doing this, just make sure the neighbors are watching out for you, or have a friend near by but not visible to Fluffy.

Read softly, or feign sleep, or whatever you think might help her feel safe to join you and seek that familiar comfort. Let her come to you, don't jump up and try to grab her when you see her.

I mention this because this is how someone elsewhere found their indoor kitty after she got out. She was out for over two weeks, constantly spotted, as you describe here. It wasn't until they slept out on the back patio, that the cat came out, and curled up at their back, just like she slept with them in the house.

(edit) Oh, I see I already posted the same advice in this thread. Oh well. It bears repeating, anyway.

Prayers for Fluffy to come home now.

otto said:

Oh, I see I already posted the same advice in this thread. Oh well. It bears repeating, anyway.
Prayers for Fluffy to come home now.

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Yes, it does bear repeating.  Everyone who has a cat should remember this method.

and for Fluffy

Since Fluffy was seen in my court between the two row houses Sat. night, my daughter and I sat outside waiting to see if she would make an appearance. My adult granddaughter saw her but Fluffy ran into a neighbors garden. This was about midnight. Deciding to call it a night my daughter made a last round of our area and spied her in a tree. A neighbor's kids has made a fort and a ladder around a large tree which was in an ivy patch and against a fence. She was sitting on a ladder rung, well within reach of the ground but would not respond to me.. I shook the treat bag, showed her the grooming brush she loves and her toys. It was hard to try to get to her and when She thought I was going to get too close it looked like she was going to go over the fence into another yard.  Due to the darkness and time we gave it up for the night. Today my family will try to surround her and hope she doesn't run up the tree. The lady whose yard she is in always keeps food out for strays and also the tree is about 250 ft. from my kitchen but is covered with ivy so while I can see it I can't see her.  Of course its raining so we'll see how it goes. She sure stayed in her area.

Good luck! At least you know she's sticking close.

Well, she's still there. I think she's coming out at night and going back into the tree during the day.  My daughter saw her there about 11: this am but had to go to work. At least I know where she's made her home.  I think its only a matter of time until we grab her. I don't think she'll come home on her own even though she can see the house. She's been gone 7 days. All my neighbors feed cats so there's a food source for her.

AddieBee finally managed to catch her Jake with a trap, so it might be worth a try.

Just an update about Fluffy. She has not returned home.  Its been 2 wks now. Last Fri. early AM my neighbor called me to look out the window, there was Fluffy sitting across the drive with another cat. I quick went out and when I approached her, calling her, she ran away. Since then another neighbor has seen her at night. We did attempt a trap but abandoned the idea since there is a clowder of about 6 cats who live in the area and the next door neighbor and one a row house away feed them. They all have been TNR,d and we did not want to trap them. Also did not want a skunk. An expert in cats called me and said as long as she is getting food she won't come home. I've gotten a few calls on her, but how does one go down a long street looking in back yards for her. If someone would only take her in and then call I could rescue her. I still have hope.

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat.  I am now in exactly this position having only had him for 48 hours!!!  I have been advised to scatter some litter from his tray around my garden which he will be able to smell and this will help him find his way home.

I have put notes through all my neighbours doors asking them to look out for him and NOT to feed him but to please take him in and call me so I can collect him.  

I have been back to his previous home to see if he had turned up there (one of his humans died and the other was taken into a care home so the house is empty), He wasn't there, I had hoped to find him in the greenhouse, a place he used to go to sleep apparently.

Good luck finding your cat.  I would suggest that you so what I have done and put a polite note through the letterbox of all your neighbours asking them to please not feed your cat but to call you and keep her in until you fetch her.

Good luck  :-)

Denise Mackie said:

Good luck finding your cat.  I would suggest that you so what I have done and put a polite note through the letterbox of all your neighbours asking them to please not feed your cat but to call you and keep her in until you fetch her.

Good luck  :-)

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I just now saw your thread and I was about to make this same suggestion.  It must be so frustrating and difficult for you to keep seeing your cat and then be unable to catch her.  I really do wish you luck in bringing your cat back home again.

I'm sorry about your cat. My big problem is that the area in which I live have no fences for the yards. A lady one house over had trapped 5 cats this spring, had them TNR'd and released. She COOKS CHICKEN for them each morning and there is always food out for them. My good hearted next door neighbor also feeds them. She has at least 5 bowls out, a buffet for cats. We also get strays that come each night for her buffet. There is no way they are going to stop feeding these cats. They are already planning how to winter them in their sheds. I have posted on poles, put ads in our local paper and also in craigs list. Fluffy was a stray when I rescued her and I think she's reverted to her previous life. Maybe she will return home when it gets cold.  Good luck with finding your baby.

FLUFFY'S HOME. Last night when my neighbor was feeding the outside cat clowder I went outside just to talk to him. He asked me what cat was on the side of my car. I told him it was the orange cat who shows up for nightly feeding. (Fluffy is grey) When Greg looked he said it was Fluffy. My car is parked about 8ft. outside my kitchen door. I grabbed a bowl of food and shook it. She came close to me but when I reached out she backed off. It just so happened that she was by Greg who reached down, picked her up and put her in the house. She has since acted like she never left home, playing with her toys, showing her old habits. She's being treated for fleas and will see the vet next week. She was gone for 17 days. She was never outside before and I know she just stayed around home which is what the experts say. She feels more bony than she used to, but maybe some weight loss is not a bad thing.   I need to be really careful when opening the doors to make sure she doesn't get out again. Also she is going to be chipped, even though I don't think it really helps. Someone needs to take her to a shelter where they can read the chip. But anything we can do to get our babies back is worth a try. So those of you who have cats that are still missing don't give up hope. I am so happy that's she's home.

Again, proof of what the experts say here, a cat that gets outside rarely goes very far.
 

Awwwwh! I am so happy that she's home.  That is brilliant news!  xx

That's great news!