HELP!! Stray Cat ran off and has not been back!

I have been feeding (and catching/spaying/neutering) stray cats around my home for about 3 years now.  About two months ago, a new little stray showed up.  I would guess less than 6 months old.  She is tame enough that whenever I open the door, she tries to come in, but not tame enough that she let's me anywhere near her if I step outside the door.  She had been coming by twice a day and I believe living in my shed out back.  Long story short, several of the strays I have caught in the past I have taken in and adopted over the years.  (They are not real friendly to other cats as I got them when they were older so they missed the whole socialization process.)

Anyway, I have been trying to get close enough to her that I can catch her and take her in to be spayed as a neighborhood tom cat has been slinking around.  I even made an appointment with the vet thinking she was getting so cozy, always standing up on the glass doors just like she wanted to get in.  So last week, it was going to dip to -25 below over night and was starting to get really cold.  She showed up, and I decided this was my chance!  PLUS...I did not want her to freeze because of the weather.

So I locked my cats in the laundry room, created a nice bed for her in my sun porch and put a kitty litter box in there along with some food, opened up the main door and let her in.  She came right in, too.  No problem.  But she was only in the house about 2 minutes when she suddenly started to FREAK OUT!!  Not just a little nervous, but like bouncing off the walls crazy!  She ran around like she was on drugs, was screeching and howling, slamming into the windows to get out!  It scared the heck out of me! I thought she was going to attack me or even worse, break her neck!  And she just didn't stop!  She was flying all over the house like she was possessed!

Well, I didn't know what to do.  I thought if I just left her a minute, she would calm down, but she really didn't.  She finally climbed behind a bookcase, but she wouldn't come out and was howling the entire time.  I thought I was going to give her a heart attack.  Then she came racing out again and leapt about 7 feet in the air and smashed against my window trying to get out.  So I did the only thing I could think of to do, and that was to open the front door and let her out!

She ran about half-way down the walk, turned around and looked at me. Ran a few more steps, then turned back and looked at me.  Then she ran another little ways, turned around and looked at me again.  Like she couldn't believe I had done that or something!  She then ran across the street and sat over there on the sidewalk just staring at me.  It was already evening, and the last I saw of her, she was running across the snowy lawn behind the neighbors across the street. 

I haven't seen her since.

My question is, do you think she will come back ever?  The other strays have been hanging around, but not her.  I feel so guilty!  Here I thought I was helping her and had just started bonding, and was going to get her spayed and shots...and now it's been over a week and she is no where to be found.  I now know I should have probably just gotten her into a carrier and let her calm down in there until I could get to the vet the next day, but I honestly thought it would be so much easier to catch her if I just let her in!  That is exactly how I got all the other stray cats I have caught...except for one, whom I enticed into the carrier and took immediately to the vet...but none of them, no matter how skittish they were...ever did that.

What should I do?  Will she come back?  I feel just horrible.  Plus, I am sure she will be, if not already, pregnant soon.  UGH!  What should I do??

First of all, thank you for trying to help this kitty.  You did the best you could at the time,and have absolutely nothing at all to feel bad/guilty about. 

Honestly, I do not know if she will come back at this point.  You could go out and look for her, as she is still probably somewhere in the 'general area' but beyond that, I honestly don't know if there is much you can do unless she does show up again, and I don't think you should feel guilty about that. I know it is really heart-wrenching in these situations, and am so sorry this has happened.

While I did TNR for a while in the past, I definitely am not one of the more experienced people on this forum in dealing with strays and ferals, so I hope some others will come along soon and hopefully be able to give you better advice, but until then, really try not to feel bad.  You are doing such a service for the cats in your neighborhood!!

I agree with the above poster:  you are doing/have done the best you can with this little one.  It isn't possible to rescue them all.

Last year I was trying to work with a young male (teenanger type) cat that was the spitting image of my orange tabby, Ginger Bear.  They even got along well with each other, and they looked like they could have be father and son, although Ginger was fixed many years ago.

I got him to the point where I could pick him up and hold him for about a minute.  I had not yet gotten to be able to try to get him into a carrier.  Then the hormones kicked in and he went roaming.  We found his body on the road where he had been hit by a car.  We live in the woods with an 800 foot long highway, so he did some traveling.  It's not like he was in the suburbs.

ETA:  I meant to write driveway above--not highway.  *Sigh*  Sometimes I just can't read....

Thank you for saying so, but I can't believe how stupid I was not to be prepared.  It just never occurred to me.  Like I said, she was not to the point where she would stay put if I came outside, but she never did anything like that.  I have looked for her around the neighborhood, but honestly...what would I do if I found her?  I am sure she would not let me get close.  And well...it's a pretty big neighborhood, anyway.  Just breaks my heart that I was so close to helping her, and then I blew it.  She seemed so sweet...rubbing her face up against the glass doors looking in.  And she's not very big, yet.  I wish I could go back and do it differently.  Now all I can think of are the kittens she will probably be having and how tough it will be on all of them.

Sorry to hear that Angelina.  And indeed, that is my worst nightmare.  Sometimes, if I don't see one of the strays I feed for a while, I start to worry.  We have a highway about 6 blocks from my house.  I see cats hit out there on the road all the time.  Thank you for your kind words.

I agree with everyone else - you did your best.  This is how we all learn.  Our first feral bit my husband and we had to have the Health Department visit for 21 days to make sure the cat hadn't had rabies.  They wanted to euthanize him but we refused.  What a mess but he's now a very happy, inside kitty (he's the one in my avatar).

So now, what next.  When she comes back (and I pray she does), have a humane trap ready.  Tie it open and feed her in it for a week.  Once she's used to going in to eat and you have her vet appointment made, you can set it to spring closed.  Take her to the vet in the trap.  (If you have to hold her overnight, put a pee pad under the trap.  Also, cover the trap - this will keep her calm).

Once she's vetted, you can make the decision as to whether she's suitable to keep inside or if she's better off being TNR'd.  Whatever you do for her, it is a lot more than many people.  Thank you for helping her!

I have only one cat experience like this to relate, which was after I trapped out Patience and took her to the clinic for shots and spaying.  she totally freaked out inside once the sedation wore off, much like you describe, and likewise I let her out as the alternative was self destruction.  She showed up at my door about 4 days later none the worse for wear, and eventually became an inside cat.  So, don't give up, keep an eye out for return.

When one of my ferals started coming inside for short visits, I had to leave the sliding door open enough for him to squeeze out.  Of course it was winter and freezing.  One early spring evening he came inside and out of the blue a thunderstorm hit.  He completely freaked out.  I had to close the door.  He was yowling at the top of his lungs and trying to scale the walls.  I had no idea what to do. 

You did the best you could and each experience with a feral cat is a definite learning experience.  Like Ondine said, get a trap ready.  She may have been spooked but usually food will win out. 

I hope she comes back and you can get her trapped and spayed.  Thank you for caring for her.

Lo and behold!  She was back this morning!  I can't even believe it!!  It's been over a week...10.5 days to be exact.  I was sure I would find her dead someplace on the side of the road.  And this morning, I opened up the door, and she was huddled in front of the door looking in.  When she saw me, she bent down and stretched and meowed at me like nothing happened.  Indeed, I am going to have another go at it this week.  Humane traps...I have tried to borrow them from  several animal rescue groups, but the closest one is over an hour away and none of them will loan one out to me because I am not in their same county.  (We don't have an animal rescue in our county) And the only ones I can find to buy, unfortunately, are over $100.00.  For me, it would either be a matter of buying that trap, or having her fixed and shots.  I could not do both.  I just don't have the money.  My old vet used to give me a break for bringing all these cats in and having them fixed and getting their shots...but I have not found another to do it, since.  And no...I am not going to go to the low-income spaying place and give them my last two years of tax returns to beg for a discount.  They are also over an hour away, and adding the time and gas, and humiliation to the 'discount' and it would not be worth it.  I think I will just stick to trying to get her into the crate and closing the door.  It worked for the other skittish cat, I hope it works for her, too.

Thanks for all your assistance and kind words!!  SHE IS BACK!!

So happy she is back!!  I was able to buy a trap on Amazon for $45 and I believe there are even cheaper ones. 
I also use a low cost spay/neuter clinic for all of my ferals.  Yet mine is quite close.  I like it because I don't need an appointment with a feral and the cost is just right and includes a rabies shot too.  Hopefully you can find a vet that is flexible and will help you with cost too. 

If you haven't trapped before do a youtube search for trapping.  Alley Cat Allies also has a great video.  It's very helpful to feed the cat for a few days or even a week so they are used to the trap. 

Good luck and so happy she is back!

Thank goodness! Isn't that something that they just nonchalantly come back like nothing is wrong! If only they could talk.

ShadowsRescue said:

 
So happy she is back!!  I was able to buy a trap on Amazon for $45 and I believe there are even cheaper ones. 

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Also consider asking your vet if you have a regular one.  They may be able to supply you with a trap OR to put word out that you need one and secure one for you... and it's worth asking other vets too aside from your regular one, as if they have one, they are likely to lend it to you especially if you offer a deposit (for the most part they will be happy to refund in full once it's returned).

Shadow Rescue - Thanks for the heads up but I don't have $45.00 to be spending on one cat, either.  I guess I will stick to my carrying case 'trap.'   I will try it my way and really $45.00 is even too much considering I will probably not be using it again as I have never needed one before.  It costs me over $150.00 each for these cats.  I am not adding $45.00 to that which I don't have.  It has taken me two months to save up for this vet visit!  And I have not paid my mortgage or light bill yet. Sorry, but that just is not my financial situation.

As far as finding a vet to work with me goes...I have called every vet in a 100 mile radius.  NOTHING.  Absolutely NO ONE is cheaper, will cut me a deal, or will allow me to go on a payment plan as I would be a new client.  (My old vet, whom I loved, retired last year.)  I get that you are trying to offer assistance, but all of these roads I have already been down more than once.  Most recently, the vet I found to take her to is the cheapest and she is OVER an hour drive and I found her after calling around yet again, and she is the only one I could strike a deal with.  Sad, because I have a vet just  two blocks away from my house...the new vet who took over for my old vet.  They do not offer a discount, even if I let them clip her ear.  It would cost over $250.00 to spay her and get her shots provided she wasn't already pregnant, more if they find out she is, even without all the tests.  So thanks for the advice, but yeah, been there, done that, found no one.  And yes...I have literally called them all, in every surrounding town, even the little towns with a vet  When I have asked if they give a discount/offer a payment plan/etc.etc...I have actually had some of them laugh at me before even answering.  Isn't that funny??

loriminnesota said:

As far as finding a vet to work with me goes...I have called every vet in a 100 mile radius.  NOTHING.  Absolutely NO ONE is cheaper, will cut me a deal, or will allow me to go on a payment plan as I would be a new client.  (My old vet, whom I loved, retired last year.)  I get that you are trying to offer assistance, but all of these roads I have already been down more than once.  Most recently, the vet I found to take her to is the cheapest and she is OVER an hour drive and I found her after calling around yet again, and she is the only one I could strike a deal with.  Sad, because I have a vet just  two blocks away from my house...the new vet who took over for my old vet.  They do not offer a discount, even if I let them clip her ear.  It would cost over $250.00 to spay her and get her shots provided she wasn't already pregnant, more if they find out she is, even without all the tests.  So thanks for the advice, but yeah, been there, done that, found no one.  And yes...I have literally called them all, in every surrounding town, even the little towns with a vet  When I have asked if they give a discount/offer a payment plan/etc.etc...I have actually had some of them laugh at me before even answering.  Isn't that funny??

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What about a  humane society? I get that they are not in your county, but if it is a TNR they will often do those for free and even if it isn't/they won't count it as one, they will often do spays/neuters for $50 or under and shots for $10-15 or LESS each without any tax returns needed.  Even if quite a drive, you'd be looking at less than $100 in all likelihood (I would be floored if it was more) which is a huge savings from $250 especially if you were going to need to drive some anyway.

First, as everyone has said, thank you for caring.
Do you have a large cat carrier? They can be rigged to be a drop trap; that's how my friend rescued Ritz and her litter mates.
I am so NOT mechanically inclined, but maybe a poster could explain how to do this (where and how to place a string).
The process would be the same, put the food at the front of the open cat carrier, and progressively move it towards the back. When she is fully inside, shut the door.
BTW, Tuesday, February 25, is World Wide Spay [Neuter] Day. Perhaps vets/clinics/rescue groups/local SPCA/PetSmart, etc. where you live will be participating. Check around your area.

Nope.  Regular vet retired.  And NOPE!!  They didn't have any traps, neither do the new ones, neither does anyone in the surround local radius.  I have tried everything.  Seriously.  I don't know where you live, but I live in a very small town surrounded by small towns.  Minneapolis is over an hour away.  NONE of the vets out here have a feral cat trap.  Mostly, they just shoot feral cats, that's how they take care of them in rural Minnesota.  So no one has a trap.  I have called everywhere for that, as well.

Yes I have a large carrier.  That is exactly what I have been saying.  I am going to use that to trap her.  That is exactly how I trapped the other stray cat who was so skittish and would run away from me all the time.  All I did was put food in there, and when she stepped in to eat it, I closed the door.  It was super easy, and I am sure it will not be a big deal with her, either.  Problem was, I thought she would not have an issue coming in the house as she seemed way friendlier than any other stray I had taken in.  I was wrong.  Now I know better.

Thanks for all your help everyone, but I think I can handle it from here.

No...the Humane Society here is again, over an hour away and because I am not in their county, I do not qualify for discounted anything!!  NOTHING!!  And they will not lend me traps.  I am already driving almost two hours to have her spayed and shots for $150.00.  DRIVING is not the issue.  The issue is that all the rescues, humane societies, no-kill shelters WHATEVER...will not work with me because I am not in their county.  That is how it works here, and probably where you live, too.  And in my county, there is not one single rescue group, humane society, animal anything.  Great suggestions, but nothing I haven't already tried more than once.

I think the carrier idea is a good one.  I've used it a couple of times.

You will need a room for her to recuperate in - a spare bedroom or bath is good.  She'll need a quiet place for five to seven days where she can rest.  Who knows, maybe she'll get used to the idea of being inside!

Thanks for the update and glad she came back.

Hello there.  I was searching the internet for stories about stray cats and found your situation (although over 2 years ago).  Whatever happens with that kitten?