Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi,
I've got a complicated one I'm afraid...
We got our cat 2 years ago from a charity. She had a hard start in life, but has been wonderful. The friendliest cat in the world. With everyone. She lets everyone carry her around and loves it.
Well, last Wednesday she went missing. On Sunday we went round all the neighbours to try to find her, and we did. A couple across the road had her locked in since Wednesday. They say they took her in because she 'looked stray'. Now she's so confused and keeps trying to go back there. My main concern is that she is not herself. Very skittish. Constantly trying to find a way out. Wails if we go near her. Plus now I've noticed a cut on her neck that's bleeding and she has swollen nipples like she's been breastfeeding (she's spayed). I tried picking her up and she groaned like she was in pain. She stinks of beer and smoke. Any ideas what's going on? So worried. And why is she trying to get back there??
Any advice gratefully received xxx

Hi there. This sounds awful and I'm not surprised you're worried.

I would get her to the vet asap for a check-up. There's no knowing what could have happened to her; she could have suffered some trauma, say an attack by a dog, which could account for the neck wound and the inflamed (bruised?) stomach/nipples, before these neighbours found her. It's irresponsible of them to have taken her in and not to have at least put up a 'found cat' notice in their front window, I know. But could be they thought they were doing their best for her.

It sounds as if something so horrible's happened to her that she fears everyone, even you. It might not be that she's trying to get back to these neighbours, but that she's now so terrified of everyone, including you. Could be a good idea to 'love her and leave her alone' at the moment, as if she's new in the house again - apart from that vet visit. Don't be too alarmed by her reeking of smoke and beer - some of the kindest people I've ever known have smoked and boozed...errm used to smoke myself until 3 years ago

I do hope that the vet can cast some light on her physical condition - is she eating/using her tray ok? Please keep updating and letting us know how she is - all the very very best x

I think I'd take her to see the vet as well, and I'd be tempted to keep her in for a couple of weeks to keep an eye on her and get her settled back 'home'.

Yep, my cats have always reeked of smoke I'm afraid, though I'm now becoming a 'vaper' and am just down to a couple of ciggies a day. I guess the cats are now reeking of coffee and hazlenut cake, as that's the flavour I'm currently vaping!

Thank you for your help. I'm trying to get an appointment with the vet. She's not moved from the cat flap all night. We're keeping her in for a few weeks to help her settle. Really worried she might have had kittens. I know she's spayed, but apparently sometimes it doesn't work... Daren't go back to see the couple who had her though...

To be honest the smoke thing wasn't really what bothered me as much as the beer. The man reeked of it at 10am, as did our cat. They scare me anyway since they've had their door beaten down by police 3 times since we've lived here. They have the lights off all the time so people won't know they're home... Plus they have cctv and about 10 locks on their door. They just don't seem right. And our cat definitely isn't... Makes it sound like I live in the ghetto. The rest of our street is lovely lol

That all does sound rather worrying and I'd definitely get her to a vet ASAP for a check up, ie this morning!

Daft question but you are 100% certain this is your cat and not one that looks like yours and may actually be theirs and have kittens?

I know I've done that once - on my way home saw a cat on a fence a good few house up from mine, convinced it was my Molly so scooped her up and walked home with her, chatting to her all the time and cat purred her little heart out. Thankfully though, my Molly was sitting in my bedroom window and I saw her before I took this other cat inside. Needless to say it was a quick about turn for me to return the cat where she belonged - oops!

let us know what the vet says

Definitely get her to a vet, and soon. She doesn't sound well.

But I second Meriad, are you absolutely certain she's your cat? A week or two after I adopted Lily and MItz years ago, (Mitz was a huge black and white cat with quite distinctive markings), I shut them in the kitchen/diner at night as usual. There was a catflap in the outside door, which I kept locked as Mitz was almost completely blind. I came down one morning and found "Mitz" sitting on the sofa as usual, but he had acquired a collar overnight. I was understandably bewildered. I picked him up, looked at him all over, which he was quite relaxed about, but the final clue was that his blindness was cured! Then I looked a bit closer and found the real Mitz cowering behind the sofa! I opened the door for his doppelganger, (who had somehow managed to break in through the locked cat flap) and he calmly said his goodbyes and walked out. So it can happen.

If this is your cat, then get her microchipped while at the vet so this can't happen again. But she is behaving like a cat who doesn't associate with your home.

The next question of course is that if this is your neighbour's cat, given her poor condition and the worrying nature of the home she lives in, do you actually want to send her back there? However, they may be as distressed as you would be to lose her, and technically it would be theft if you kept her, so a sticky issue all round.

But basically, I hope for your sake that this is your puss, and that you can get her to the vet quickly to find out what's wrong. Even if you're not sure, take her anyway as what you describe does sound like she might be in pain.

If this isn't your puss, I do hope she turns up soon. It's possible she got spooked by early fireworks, and may have run off to hide, so have a look at the hints in our Lost and Found pages on this forum, which will give you some tips for finding her again.

It's definitely her. She's got very distinctive markings round her nose (black spots that look like 2 giant nostrils). She's microchipped already, so I'm sure the vet will confirm it too.

I've managed to get an appointment with the vet this evening so will keep you posted... X

If you're really concerned that she might have had kittens, I would bite the bullet and go round to the couple's house again, explain that she's behaving strangely and that you're worried, and ask if they think that is possible. In my experience even the weirdest people are never quite as scary as they first seem, and you're not accusing them of anything, just asking for their help, so there's nothing for them to get upset about.

I hope the vet visit gets to the bottom of things, good luck.

Agree with Crewella, if there is the remotest chance that she may have had kittens then you need to go to back the house and ask / check because they'll need to be reunited asap otherwise the kittens won't survive

Good luck and please do let us know how the vet visit goes - I'm curious what the vet thinks

As cats are pregnant for 9 weeks, I'd be very surprised if that was the case. If you've had her for 2 years and she's been going out, you'd have found out by now if she wasn't neutered

I wonder whether someone or something has harmed her and she’s scared; are you sure she’s definitely trying to go back there or just escape?

booktigger wrote: If you've had her for 2 years and she's been going out, you'd have found out by now if she wasn't neutered

very true!!!

Janey wrote:I wonder whether someone or something has harmed her and she’s scared; are you sure she’s definitely trying to go back there or just escape?

Doesn't bear thinking about But could well be a possibility

That occurs to me too. She may have been treated so badly that she's frightened of all humans. If that's the case, see what the vet finds, get any injuries/medical conditions treated, then it will have to be love and patience to help her get her trust and confidence back. Let her hide in the house as much as she wants (eg create a safe place for her under a bed, if that's where she wants to retreat to) put food water and litter near her favourite hiding place, and then spend time just talking to her quietly, letting her sniff your hand but only stroke her if she's comfortable with it, and just do all you can to prove to her that you won't hurt her like the others might have done.

I do hope this isn't the case, but in the awful event that it is, this will be your way forward. Good luck.

Hey there, just wondering what the vet said.... did you go yesterday?

Hey Sar - any news? Hope she's going on ok and you too