Staying out in warm weather?

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brigidrynne
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Staying out in warm weather?

Post by brigidrynne »

I'm sorry I haven't been around for ages, so feel a bit guilty not having contributed, but coming back asking for advice.

First, a quick recap. We have two neutered male cats, brothers, Tiggy and Foggy, now 11 years old. We live in a very rural setting, surrounded by fields, few neighbours, far from main roads. Foggy is a good hunter and can easily spend 2 or 3 hours outside at a time, Tiggy quite enjoys going out, but doesn't go far and is usually back in within an hour or so.

It's been so warm, yesterday we had the French doors open until late. We had given the cats their 10pm 'snack' and I was sitting by the open doors, chatting to my stepdaughter, who is here on holiday with her kids. The light was just beginning to go and Foggy wandered out onto the path. We make a point of not letting the cats out after dark, but he was just sitting there, sniffing the air. After about 5 minutes, I noticed he had gone. We weren't unduly worried until it got dark, but he still hadn't come home by midnight when we went to bed.

I fully expected to find him on the windowsill this morning, waiting for breakfast. But he didn't come home. We went out this morning and called for him, and drove a circuit round the local roads to rule out the an RTA.

Foggy was caught leaving on our CCTV. It was just after 10pm last night. Cheeky so-and-so knew he was being naughty. He stopped by the gate, had a bit of a sniff of the hedge, and then turned and looked back at the house for a few seconds, to see if anyone had noticed, before sprinting off up the drive and jumping into the meadow.

We're over 24 hours later now, and he still isn't back. My husband and I are beside ourselves with worry, and Tiggy is also obviously upset. But is this something others have experienced in warm weather?
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Lilith
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by Lilith »

Hi there.

They will do this. I remember 20 years ago or more when I lived behind farmland and and a boy of mine would go off and hunt and eat himself full of rabbit or whatever and sleep it off for a day or two.

So it's not potentially disastrous but I can understand your worry - do hope you get him back soon, bad lad!

Paws crossed! x
alanc
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by alanc »

Badger did that to me once. He turned up mid afternoon the next day, after getting me terribly worried.
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fjm
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by fjm »

Mine do it to me every Spring - Pippin is now too creaky to roam far, but Tilly does at least one 18 hour hunting trip as soon as the weather warms up. But if it is a one-off I would keep up the searching, checking sheds etc and putting out stuff that smells of home to help him find his way back. As young cats mine also used to regularly get shut in a garage somewhere at the weekends, coming home ravenous at around 8am on Monday mrning. And I have lost count of the times I have searched the neighbourhood for hours only to find the missing cat fast asleep under the spare bed...

Hoping to hear good news soon.
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Ruth B
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by Ruth B »

My young lad will do it, I don't tend to worry now for the first 24 hours and I know there are times that he comes back, has a bite to eat and then is off again with out me realising, or I'll find him flaked out, fast asleep somewhere in the house, where he has got back and not let me know.

However after 24 I would be starting to print of posters and asking neighbours to check sheds and garages, if the weather has been nice there is a good chance people have been working in their garden and the shed was left open. Ask if they can leave the door open for 10 minutes or so and walk away, just in case he has hidden behind something and doesn't want to come out while a stranger is around.

I would also suggest contacting local charities and vets just in case he is handed in, and if he is chipped phone the organisation and let them know and make sure all the contact details are up to date.

Hopefully there will be good news soon, assuming he isn't already chomping his way down a bowl of food like nothing has happened.
alanc
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by alanc »

I agree with Ruth. When Badger went missing, I was doing that and just about to put up a wanted notice for him on the local town website when he walked in as though nothing was wrong!
brigidrynne
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by brigidrynne »

He's home!

We think he didn't appreciate R's grandsons. The older boy, in particular, is quite loud and has a habit of meowing at the cats and does a rather too convincing hiss. They left yesterday evening and, before leaving for the airport, R gave Foggy a quick call. He said he thought he heard an answering 'beep', but there was no sign of him.

Foggy seemed fine around the boys, but it was telling that we got back at 5.45pm, having dropped them off, R gave him another call, telling him he could come out now as the boys had gone. There were a couple of beeps from the grassy area in front of the house, and Foggy bounded out!

He had been gone for the best part of 44 hours and I had just designed some Missing posters for distribution if he hadn't come back by this morning. He's such a good boy, though. I feel fairly sure that he hadn't, in fact, wandered very far at all. He was almost certainly within earshot the whole time. Our only close neighbour has dogs, so the cats avoid the house - though the neighbour has cats as well, so they would be in no real danger from them. Otherwise, it's just fields and forestry.

Thanks for your replies. It goes without saying, we are hugely relieved. I don't think Foggy's hunting skills are enough to sustain him, as he came back very hungry and thirsty, and I'm sure he didn't sleep, being out for 2 nights. Today, he has evidently decided that the feral lifestyle might be overrated, and has - so far - declined to go out at all, and is enjoying a duvet day.
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MarySkater
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by MarySkater »

brigidrynne wrote:He's home!
Wonderful! Thanks for telling us. :) :!:
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Lilith
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by Lilith »

Oooo the naughty lad! Glad he's back! :D
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fjm
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by fjm »

Excellent news! I hope you can find a way to keep both Foggy and grandchildren happy next time.
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Lilith
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by Lilith »

LOL I've posted this song before -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY2dcd_OtlU

But kind of appropriate ...

I DID used to have to go up the field to find my bad lad, and whistle a certain opera tune (honestly!) to get his attention ... there'd be no sign but then a pair of black ears would appear behind a bush and a 'waow!' and he'd be there ... belly full of rabbit ... :lol:

Always a relief to have them home on the duvet though! :D
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Re: Staying out in warm weather?

Post by alanc »

That's great news. Glad he is back.
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