My inside cat (of 1.5 yrs-- formally a feral) escaped Friday night and I haven't seen him since!

tiger cat

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I trapped and fixed Jeff (my black cat who escaped) and his mom several years ago. they were outdoor cats for years.. but in a different community. When my ex and I split up and he refused to take care of them anymore I relocated him with his mom and one other cat to my new home as outdoor cats, this is back in Jan 2013. Jeff was always a bit nuts and I tried keeping the 3 of them in my shed to get them used to the new area. Well back in 2013 I opened the door and Jeff bolted out, so I had to let the other 2 go at that time too so he wouldn't be alone in the new neighborhood.  One cat Whitey... I haven't seen since. But Oreo (momma) and Jeff stuck around. Jeff is probably 6 and his mom 7 or 8.  I was finally able to trap them with the help of a rescue group. After getting checked up, cleaned up dewormed, etc (and keeping them in separate quarters for a couple of months so my other cats didn't get sick) I brough Jeff and his mom in.  Oreo likes being inside she sleeps and loves my other cat Geppetto. She has no interest in going outside but every night Jeff would get into crying fits. Would stare out the windows, we have a lot and cry incessantly for a while.  He's been in for 1.5 years at least at this point.  We do feed 2 outdoor boy cats who are very territorial (both fixed).  So Fri night when it was warm and I was throwing out treats to the outside guys Jeff bolted underneath my feet.  He went to the bottom of the steps and looked up at me.  Shocked, I calmly said Jeff come back in holding the door open for him but he must've seen the other 2 boys staring at him, he took one step towards me and then ran the other way into my backyard (very woodsy back there) and I"m near a preserve tons of trees.  I heard rustling in the leaves as he ran back but it was midnight and I couldn't see anything.  

He still hasn't come back, I made my husband pour the used cat litter in the woods so he can maybe smell his way back. He may be close but is afraid of the outdoor guys to pass. He's a bigger cat and a bit chunky but worried that he's ok out there.  I'm 5 months pregnant and don't even know how to trap him now b/c I can pet him but not pick him up. also he's probably full of ticks and parasites now which is a whole other issue with my other 3 cats never going out.  I"m just shocked and hope he's ok and wonder if there's anything else I can do. I put stinky food out but the 2 outside boys are constantly around.  
 
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tiger cat

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Jeff loves his mom, she was mostly annoyed with him when he was inside with the other 3. I'm worried he's searching for her out there? Would he think she ran out too even though he was the only one that darted out? When they were outside together they'd always meet up around dinner time this is back in 2013 and I'm sure they were staying in my neighbor's shed together. These days my two outdoor boys seem to have taken control over both my backyard and the neighbor's shed. but oreo and Jeff got along with the outside (now alpha) cat when they were outside but it's been a while.  Oreo doesn't want to go out and I don't want to lose her too, but I've left the back door open where he ran out of (just the glass/screen door is closed) so jeff can maybe see oreo.  While she's been disinterested in the outdoors in general she has been going back there more now since Jeff ran away.
 
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tiger cat

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that's a good idea. im just scared she'll flip out bc i can't really even pet her unless she comes to me. jeff was actually much more friendly and loved to be pet.
 
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tiger cat

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thank you.hes not one bit white! but has ear tipped and has lived outside for years at my other neighborhood and then just a few months here but always alongside his mom. theres also 3 ither black cats arnd here outside but id recognize jeff in a heartbeat. i just pray hes ok. its not a shock he wanted out hes obsessed with the windows and looking outside i just wasnt expecting this.
 
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tiger cat

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thank you! i know he has some street smarts still can't stop worrying. and being pregnant and emotional doesn't help!
 

jcat

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Parasites can be dealt with. Have you contacted a local shelter or rescue group about borrowing or renting a trap? They can show you the right way to use it or might be willing to try to trap him for you. It's probably your best option since you can't pick him up.
 
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tiger cat

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i have a regular hav a heart trap but i know a trapper from a rescue group that has helped me capture them before with a drop trap and has offered to help me again. now he just needs to show up. my heart sinks to think I'll never see him again.
 

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i have a regular hav a heart trap but i know a trapper from a rescue group that has helped me capture them before with a drop trap and has offered to help me again. now he just needs to show up. my heart sinks to think I'll never see him again.
Don't think that way. You have to stay positive. You'll get him back. 
that he's nearby and will be home safe and sound very soon. 
 
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tiger cat

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Thank you I am trying. Just hope he's safe and not upset! [emoji]128542[/emoji]
 

supermax1943

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Since Jeff is a "street smart" male who has been longing to go outside, I wouldn't even begin to lose hope. If anyone goes missing from my feral colony, it is always, at minimum, three days before they show up again. Something in the feral cat brains says "be gone for three days". So, you are just at three days tonight. My intuition tells me he is just out there having a blast!! and with trees to climb...which he hasn't been able to do...I'm thinking he is probably having too much fun to even think about home. And, those trees are his safety from everything bad, so I wouldn't worry to much about anything. (EAsy for me to say since I am not in your position!) But, I do think the situation is not one to be terrorized about.

If I was in your position, I would be checking to make sure he hasn't got himself stuck way up in a tree somewhere.  If he is, and you go out calling, he will answer you, so if you hear nothing, let that thought pass. 

Everything he knows and loves is at your house, and he knows that. He could be avoiding coming home since the other two cats are there. I think I would stop feeding at the back of your house...and instead move the food out away from the house so if Jeff comes back he can get to the house without having to work his way around the other two cats.

His Mom will be missing Jeff, if they have been close, so let her sit by the door so that her smell is there. I wouldn't try to take her out, since you certainly wouldn't want her to get away now.

Just try your very hardest to stay calm and trust that Jeff has the smarts to be okay. What state do you live in, is the weather still nice?

Also, don't forget that this is Spring season for cats too, so there may have been an "in heat" female around. If Jeff was attracted to that, he would stick around the female until her heat is over (three or four days). So three days for natural feral cat leaving just to upset you, and three or four more days for a possible female in heat....and you have 6 to 7 days. I had a vet tell me once that a female in heat will keep a cat from even thinking about food until the heat is over. Their brain can think of nothing else except the female.


So, move the food, and keep putting it out every day (and refill it if the other cats eat it) and make sure Jeff has a clear way to get to the house.

I'm sending good thoughts about Jeff and for you (you poor dear, being pregnant and having a cat missing, I can't imagine anything worse).

Keep coming to this website for support. We have all been there and understand.
 
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tiger cat

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Thank you for all that advice! Jeff is fixed but I think he definitely had spring fever he was crying more than usual the past few days at the window before he escaped.  We live in NY so it's been warm for us 50 degrees, thank g-d it's not cold or I'd be worrying about that too.  the other 2 cats have a shelter house right by my porch, i think i'll move that to the side a bit. and the food is always on my steps, I think i'll move that as well.  we have 3 black cats i've seen besides Jeff. One is definitely someone's cat it's fat and is not even interested in my food sometimes eats it sometimes just walks through my backyard.  There's  gangsta black cat with a white neck he has fought with my two outdoors (not fixed I presume... I"ll have to capture him) i've seen him, and the house pet. and then theres a little small black cat/kitten almost i've seen a couple of times.  My two outdoors have been patrolling incessantly lately I think Jeff may be near b/c of that.  Last night I saw a black cat far away by the edge of my gate, other than the kitten the other 2 black cats aren't scared of my outdoor guys and would just walk past them or ignore them, well garffield my outdoor orange tabby started taking off towards the black cat (jeff maybe>) jeff is actually bigger than garfield but garf is very territorial. i saw the physique of the black cat which looks like it couldve been jeff but couldn't get close enough to see if he had the ear tip.  (the other black cats don't) i couldn't see any white marks and jeff is fully black.  I put a plate of chicken all the way where i saw him, but it's so dark i couldn't see if he ever came back, plus with the other 2 cats patrolling i wonder if they just ate it.  it's the first sign it could be him... so I'll try again tonight and will move the dishes.  I'll keep this post updated if I see anything else!
 

supermax1943

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I think moving the food is a really good idea. Cats can smell food from quite a distance, so I wouldn't be afraid that any you want to feed won't find it. And I do think, from the sound of things, it is good to try and get a clear pathway for Jeff to the house. And, please be sure to check the trees!

I would be pretty confidant that Jeff, when he shows up, will get up the stairs to get to his Mom and your loving home first. So, keep putting the food in a way Jeff can get a clear  path to the house.

You are doing great. Stay confident, pray if that is something you do. And keep coming back here for support! You are in my thoughts.
 

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I would set the have a heart trap and use some lovely smelly food (canned salmon, or tuna in oil).  Put a blanket over the cage, so it seems like a nice cozy den.  Maybe you and / or his mom should sleep on the blanket so it has her / your scent.

Tie it open for a day or 2, so he gets used to going in and out and eating.  Then untie it.

When the trap is closed, approach cautiously.  May not be your cat in there; could be a skunk, etc. 

Prayers for a speedy return!
 
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tiger cat

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I have some good news, I saw Jeff tonight! I got home around 730pm and moved the outsides shelter and food to the other end of the patio (away from the backdoor steps to my house). I also thought I saw Jeff the other day about 100 feet from my door (the edge of my fence) when he was outside 1.5 yrs ago he and his momma would take shelter in my neighbors shed.  I put some dry food in a bowl near a tree in this area. I went back inside and called him for a bit and then went along with putting away groceries. When I looked outside again I saw a dark figure. (it gets super dark in the woods area ) but  I called jeffy and I saw 2 eyes look up at me. I got a can of wet food put my shoes on and went out back slowly to not scare him, I kept calling jeffy from a sitting position 100 ft away. He responded with his high pitched meows so I knew it was him. He started walking toward me and I opened the can, kept calling him. the other cats were around but not in the immediate vicinity, they went to walk around to the front of the house b/c I kinda walked after them to get them away as I knew jeff was close, but for some reason Jeff got scared, he walked 10 ft towards me then stopped and ran towards the shed.  I put the wet food in the bowl near the tree where i saw him along with a bowl of water. this is far away from where i feed the other cats (still my backyard but at the edge of my backyard. I feed the outdoor cats at the beggining of my backyard. maybe 150-200 ft away from both spots. at least I know he's ok.  A trapper told me she will help me with a drop trap but she's not going to be available for several days.  In the meantime I'll keep going out at the same time and putting food in the back. I'm glad he's ok. he's just so scared to approach probably b/c he smells the other cats. it's been garfield and jc (my 2 outdoor cats) turf for 3 yrs.  they are 2 boys and are very territorial, everyone is fixed but i still think garfield might pick a fight if jeff gets too close.
 
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