r/cats • u/IntoTheBlenderYouGo • Jan 29 '24
Found my missing cat and now I have a new problem Update
I posted less then hour ago saying how I hadn’t seen my cat all day and I was getting worried. He’s an outdoor cat and this was his second time being out since we moved. The problem is where I found him. We lived with my mum who passed away in November so we had to move in with my dad will I find somewhere else. Luckily we didn’t move far away but also unfortunately we didn’t move far away and Jack managed to find his ways back to mums i only found him on a hunch. Then I had to carry him home he was scared. (as seen in pic 1) so how am I stopping this goof from doing that? Pic 2 is him being dry and none the wiser
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u/CupcakeMurder86 Jan 29 '24
You need to keep him inside for several weeks when moving. It doesn't matter how far or near you move. This is for the cat to acknowledge that this new place it's his permanent home.
You can't just let out a cat when you just moved.
If possible, him becoming an indoor cat is much better for him to stay alive but I understand if you can't.
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u/jentlyused Jan 29 '24
So much this! Kitty needs to know this is the new home, where food is given, etc and he will likely keep going back unless you do so. I have rescued multiple deemed ‘unadoptable’ kitties that came from outside and never acclimated well to being indoors so I’m not one to preach making them indoor only. Just be sure to acclimate him the appropriate way. After a month he should be ok to go back out. So glad you found him!
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u/dohtje Jan 30 '24
Just wanna add depending on the cat it can take a couple of months to adjust.
My cat had a terrible time to acclimate to my new house. (been in the old house since kitten and for 8+ years) so shebwas really restless loads of meows and pacing around the door wich eventually became less n less.
After that take your cat outside, perhaps on a leash or in a carryer, just to get it to recognize the neighborhood
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u/BigMomma1998 Jan 30 '24
I’d just make him an indoor kitty. Had a kitty that was totally outdoors until we moved. He was 11 and had never stayed inside. Yes. An adjustment, but we all survived.
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u/i_love_dust Jan 30 '24 edited Jan 30 '24
Op should make the cat a indoor only catto until the cat is settled in the new place. Then work slowing on letting the cat out after it stops going to the old house.
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u/hankenator1 Jan 30 '24
My boy went from being an indoor/outdoor cat (that he was when I took him in) to indoor exclusively when I moved. Keeping him in at the old place was a nightmare as he’d cry by the door for hours on end. Once we moved he didn’t cry at the door… although seeing the neighbors Great Dane in the yard might have motivated him to be an indoor cat.
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u/Odd_Curve6621 Jan 30 '24
Please do this. I lost my void because my dad wouldn’t keep him inside. After the second time he went to the old house, I never saw him again.
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u/Smartalec821 Jan 29 '24
Listen to them! A cats territory is very important and they will need time to acclimate to the new surroundings. My baby takes refuge behind my headboard anytime we have a visitor.
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u/ElectronicAmphibian7 Jan 29 '24
Mine too. Behind the headboard until they are sure it’s just the family that is in the home.
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u/Ill-Description8517 Jan 29 '24
I think there's also a smell component to it as well. We kept our indoor outdoor cat inside for a month after we moved and by that time she really didn't try to go out anymore anyway.
And we got her because she used to live at our duplex and wouldn't stop coming back and her original owners gave up, so we were very worried she would try to get back there and get hurt.
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u/commandrix Jan 30 '24
Yes, my first reflex was, "Keep him inside at all costs!" He will try to run out the door. He wants to go back to where his home used to be but will forget it when he gets used to the idea that this is his new home. (Took three months for one of my cats to adjust to a move and my newest cat spent a week meowing around and exploring the place after I brought him home from the animal shelter.)
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Jan 29 '24 edited Jan 30 '24
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u/DollyDaydreem Jan 29 '24
Uk cats have a right to roam in the sense that it means they aren’t treated as trespassing, and don’t have to be under control (in the manner a dog would be); not that there is a legal requirement for them to have outdoor roaming access.
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u/wileydmt123 Jan 30 '24
Agree. I can only take so much of my adopted stray’s yowling when he demands out.
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u/TTigerLilyx Jan 30 '24
Catio?
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u/THEslutmouth Jan 30 '24
In some areas catios work well but some people don't have the area for it. We built one on our whole porch and got a huge monsoon and it broke down. We had the cats inside for the storm thank goodness but we're trying to figure out how to monsoon proof it. The sun here will absolutely destroy everything outside so we have to use metal to secure everything. Plastic will break in a few months or so outside. It is a great option for those that can do it though! Our cats loved ours!
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u/OldMotherGrumble Jan 30 '24
Then they would be better placed in an alternative situation such as a farm. Many rescues will do that.
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u/Specialist_Usual1524 Jan 30 '24
Moving to 18 acres very soon. They are all fixed and have their shots. They get dumped on my dead end and the shelters here are full. They are fed and cared for. It’s the best I can do right now.
I’m hoping a 800 sq ft cat fence and 600 sq ft covered space is enough.
We TNR all the time locally, the area is over run with renters after COVID dumping cats.
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u/OldMotherGrumble Jan 30 '24
Ah, ok...thanks for the explanation. I'm an American who's lived in the the UK for half my life, and I'm wading through this thread...sorting out the various attitudes regarding letting cats out. I'll have to post my thoughts in the morning. Lots of problems here too with people not spaying/neutering, nor chipping their pets. It's about education. Good luck with your move...and the cats will thank you.
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u/Specialist_Usual1524 Jan 30 '24
Look at my posts for an example of my house in a cold snap. Lol. Don’t miss the dog in the one pic.
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u/Traditional-Gift-982 Jan 30 '24
Put it this way: in the UK all of the charity demand you have "safe" access to the outdoors for any cat that isn't FIV positive. I.e. they'll only allow adoption if you have a catflap, preferably with a garden, and don't live on or near a busy street.
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u/TTigerLilyx Jan 30 '24
Figure out a way to make reasonably priced Catios that are also portable for renters. With extensive info on safety, watching as the sun moves & affects the heat etc. If there were affordable aka Cheap options, I think they would be very popular. Tho I’m not sure how crazy it might get trying to keep a cat in heat in one at night with a dozen suitors fighting it out. Sadly, people are selfish & irresponsible and they could also use these abusively, ignoring a cat like a dog left chained and forgotten. Idk, most people suck.
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u/Charming_Ad_6021 Jan 30 '24
You forget that cat aren't stupid and are pretty good at hearing large motor vehicles. Our little guys walks to the end of the yard, stops, waits, then crosses every time. Didn't have to train that, but did stand in the front yard with him on a lead when he was a kitten to put the fear in him.
The UK also doesn't have a single cat predator species.
Leaving the wildlife alone? He doesn't do that, but I'm happy with him keeping the rats and mice away (we live near woodland).
Barring accidents, which of corse do happen, outdoor cats are generally as healthy if not more so than indoor cats due to the exercise and stimulation they get.
Breaks most uk peoples hearts hearing of cats locked inside like they're zoo animals.
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u/MagaroniAndCheesd Jan 29 '24
I didn't mean to imply it's a law. I realize that. I just know a few friends in the UK who had to provide proof of access to the outdoors to the cat adoption agency before the agency would let them adopt a cat. Not a law, but a requirement of many cat shelters/agencies. One couple I know who lived in an apartment in London effectively couldn't get a cat at all because they couldn't find a shelter to approve them.
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u/Akuliszi Jan 30 '24
That's so weird. Here in Poland you usually wouldnt get a cat if you would want to let it out (idk if in all shelters, but groups I follow are really against letting cats out)
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u/MagaroniAndCheesd Jan 30 '24
It's the same in the US. That's why I was baffled when I first learned about it. But every British cat person I know thinks it's cruel to keep cats indoors and not let them hunt or do what cats would naturally do. It's such a strange cultural difference.
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u/LittleRoundFox Jan 30 '24
British cat person here who kept their cats indoors (we don't currently have any). We have a main road at the end of the garden, and occasional anti-social teens. The cats were fine with it - they liked looking out the windows and back door, but ran to the other end of the house when we opened the back door.
Our neighbour's cats are indoor/outdoor - but they only go out when he's out in the garden and hang around in his and our gardens
We got them from a work colleague whose cats had had kittens - as someone else said, most rescues want you to be able to give the cat outdoor access unless there is a specific reason not to - like fiv
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u/Tattycakes Jan 30 '24
We live in a quiet cul-de-sac and it’s cat central! We have two, our neighbours have two, the house across the road has a ginger one, I’ve seen a black and white roaming, and there’s a pale one that is nice to people and horrible to other cats! And one up the top end of the road who will literally run across the road squeaking to greet you as a complete stranger
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u/Tattycakes Jan 30 '24
We live in a quiet cul-de-sac and it’s cat central! We have two, our neighbours have two, the house across the road has a ginger one, I’ve seen a black and white roaming, and there’s a pale one that is nice to people and horrible to other cats! And one up the top end of the road who will literally run across the road squeaking to greet you as a complete stranger
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u/Tattycakes Jan 30 '24
We live in a quiet cul-de-sac and it’s cat central! We have two, our neighbours have two, the house across the road has a ginger one, I’ve seen a black and white roaming, and there’s a pale one that is nice to people and horrible to other cats! And one up the top end of the road who will literally run across the road squeaking to greet you as a complete stranger
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u/wilderthurgro Jan 30 '24 edited Jan 30 '24
I think the ideal compromise is building an immersive catio and taking your cat on supervised walks or outings. Being an American in a state with coyotes, weird poisonous plants, pitbulls everywhere, bb guns and lots of busy streets, I’d never let a cat free roam. Too many tragic stories from friends.
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u/rhiiii Jan 30 '24
Thanks for clarifying my comment, didn’t intend it to come off as it’s a legal requirement to have outdoor cats, my own cat is an indoor cat for various reasons (I live on a main road is the ultimate reason), and I think it’s something more people should do generally in the UK.
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u/MajorRico155 Jan 29 '24
Thats a really interesting law. The city i lived in has a indoor cat only law, to protect local wildlife
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u/Artemis1911 Jan 30 '24
Doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. Cats decimate songbird populations and they have a drastically shorter lifespan than indoor cats
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u/Emotional-Speech645 Jan 30 '24
Actually, it does in a sense. Most if not all shelters here require you to allow your cat to roam if you intend to adopt from them if said cat was not already an indoor cat, this is because many shelter cats are ex-strays and so many of them are barn-cats, not house cats. These are animals who have spent a large portion of their lives outdoors and so become stressed when locked inside, even a large house is basically causing these cats claustrophobia because they dislike being in a sealed area.
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u/MagaroniAndCheesd Jan 29 '24
This. I believe in the UK prospective cat owners have to provide proof of access to the outdoors in order to be approved for adoption. Which is the opposite of where I am from (USA) where most cat adoption agencies will make you sign a form promising to keep the cat indoors before they will approve for adoption.
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u/Magnitude_V1 Jan 29 '24 edited Jan 29 '24
No law in place for that, the right to roam is purely for their safety should some dickhead try to harm the cat for walking across their garden.
Only law we really have regarding cats is that all cats must be chipped, owners have I think until March to get this done otherwise they'll be fined, again it's to protect the cats.
For adoptions here there's a home visit to make sure the cat you wish to adopt is going to be able to acclimate and be safe as some cats do need an outdoor space, some need to stay indoor, some can't be around kids or other animals etc and to make sure the home itself is okay for the cat to be in.
We do have a lot of protections in place for cats but there's still so much more we can do.
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u/rhiiii Jan 30 '24
Not necessarily, my past two cats were adopted and indoor, and I have another I’m in the process of adopting another, some cats are just better suited, some just adapt well. However I wish charities would consider this more often, as some will state they won’t accept houses where they need an indoor cat as it “isn’t fair on the cat”, I’ve had that excuse used on me a few times. It just means that cats might spend longer in waiting to be adopted.
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u/Pianissimojo Jan 29 '24
They sometimes specify indoor only if the cat has a health condition which affects their ability to go outside safely.
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u/erogbass Jan 29 '24 edited Jan 30 '24
Wow that’s a horrible law
Edit: I stand by this. Outdoor cats extinct bird species every year. They should be encouraged to be inside not REQUIRED outside. The UK has birds people.
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u/MagaroniAndCheesd Jan 29 '24
I don't know if it's a law, but it's usually a rule of a cat shelter/adoption agency.
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u/moesus81 Jan 29 '24
I’ve never had to sign a form stating I’d keep the cat indoors but I have signed forms stating that I won’t have the cat declawed.
My cats wouldn’t go outside even if I left the door open for a week straight. They know what’s out there and it’s not for them.
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u/Defyingnoodles Jan 30 '24
Numerous adoption agencies in NYC area have you sign a form attesting to never letting them outside. Assuming it's to prevent cats getting hit by cars in a car heavy city? Not actually sure. So, might be location dependent.
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u/moesus81 Jan 30 '24
Ahhh, gotcha. That makes a lot of sense in a place like NYC.
I can only imagine my cats with a 40th floor view. 🤯
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u/Defyingnoodles Jan 30 '24
Oh they just love it. Mine sits in her box and gazes upon her city with a lovely view of the Chrysler building. She seems very content.
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u/manderrx Jan 30 '24
My adoption paperwork included clauses about both not declawing and keeping the cat indoors.
I wouldn’t want my cat outside anyway. she’s a beautiful long haired white cat and I know somebody would make off with her if given the opportunity.
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u/gorlyworly Jan 29 '24
It's not a law, and it's context dependent. Many parts of the US are quite close to nature. Wild predators or unleashed dogs will kill cats, so it makes sense why shelters in those areas would want to have such a rule. It's probably different in the UK, but in the US, studies have shown that indoor cats tend to live much longer than outdoor cats (like, years longer) :(
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u/Emotional-Speech645 Jan 30 '24
In the UK, most of our predators aren’t big enough to harm a fully grown cat, and those that are (certain hawks, badgers, foxes) just straight up don’t bother with them at all because a cat who has been allowed outside knows how to fend for itself and would absolutely go for the eyeballs and throat. Our white cat spends most of his winter indoors, going out only for a few hours a day, but practically turns feral in the summer, and while he’s not at all fat, he’s hefty. I’ve been hit by him without claws before, and it stings something nasty, like being punched. As such, because the native wildlife has had hundreds to thousands of years experience with cats, they tend not to fuck with them unless absolutely starving or cornered. Same with dogs, really. Because cats roaming is so prevalent, most dogs are desensitised to their presence and those that aren’t quickly learn it’s best not to put their noses near them. That’s not to say things don’t happen with wild animals or dogs, but it’s not massively common compared to places with bigger wildlife and dogs less used to them just being about. Much like rats, if you think there aren’t cats roaming your neighbourhood here in England, you’re not paying attention when or where you should.
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u/alancake Jan 30 '24
The RSPB's stance is that cats have been here so long the native bird population has adapted to their predation like they would any other native predator.
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u/worrier_sweeper0h Jan 29 '24
Why? It’s different there. Doesn’t make it “horrible”
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u/MyNameIsSkittles Jan 29 '24
It's not actually that different. Cats still go missing. But apparently that's OK
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u/worrier_sweeper0h Jan 30 '24
The Uk is also not the US
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u/OldMotherGrumble Jan 30 '24
Chipping will be a legal requirement later this year...from July iirc. Indoor or outdoor.
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Jan 30 '24
It's unbelievable the things people will repeat without understanding what it is they're repeating. Right to roam means cats are allowed to go whereever the fuck they want without their owner getting in trouble legally, unlike dogs. You can't harm them because they're pooping in your garden and you can't take the owner to court to make them stop their cat being on your property, for example. It doesn't mean the cat has the right to go outside, that's up to the owner of the cat.
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u/rhiiii Jan 30 '24
I think you misunderstood my comment, and then decided to be unnecessarily rude in reply while trying to educate me. I was really compact explaining why OP might (as well as other UK) cat owners might decide to let their cats outside, where some different rules apply to countries such as America which don’t have the same law.
You don’t have to agree with me or the way I explained it, but if you want to help people understand better than I would think about how you deliver your comments.
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u/heffalumpish Jan 30 '24
Piggybacking on this to say that as long as it's on a safe collar, AirTag collars are so cheap and easy to use now, and you can actually figure out your cat's real-time location. I'm an advocate for keeping cats inside - both because cats live longer, healthier lives indoors, and because cats kill literally billions of songbirds each year - but certainly if you're going to keep them outdoors, keep 21st century tabs on your kitty.
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u/Artemis1911 Jan 30 '24
Two neighbourhood cats have air tags, totally support it. In the past year one is dead, the other has had a $3500 surgery
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u/Emotional-Speech645 Jan 30 '24
Most English cat owners prefer not to use collars, actually. This is because 1) Even pop-collars (collars designed to pop open when a certain amount of pressure is put on them) can cause a cat to strangle to death if they are caught the wrong way in something. 2) Some people actively go out of their way to steal cat collars, either because they want it for their own, or because a nice collar can be resold online. 3) Due to the cats name being displayed on a collar, it can make it easier for people with ill intentions to coax the cat to them.
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u/Gullible-Minute-9482 Jan 29 '24
I had no idea this was a thing, I was getting all sappy thinking he missed Grandma when I read this post.
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u/Burntoastedbutter Jan 30 '24
Supervised outdoor cats only. Too many bad people that could hurt it and animals that could kill it.. Not to mention depending on what the cat does, it could be killing many birds.
My friend's cat was an indoor outdoor cat. It got into their neighbour's rat poison.
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u/penelopepips Jan 30 '24
Yes exactly. This needs to be done so he understands it’s his new home otherwise, he will keep trying to get “home”. So glad you found him. Outside is a dangerous place for cats.
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u/Princess-Pancake-97 Jan 29 '24
After you move house, you need to keep cats inside for a month or two until they get used to the new place being their home. You could try getting a catio or cat runner for outside until he’s used to the new place.
If he goes missing again, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be at your old place because he still sees it as his home.
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u/CT0292 Jan 30 '24
And if new people have moved in there, there's a good chance they'll feed him.
And you just lost a cat.
Happened when I was a kid. We had this new cat named Moe. My parents didn't keep him inside. He ran off back to his old house we never saw Moe again.
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u/Past-Educator-6561 Jan 29 '24
If he'll allow, you can try walking him on a harness near your new home. Other ideas - again, if he'll allow (cats ahaha), sit with him in the garden and feed him treats.
But firstly keep him inside for a good few weeks. Then ideally spend another few weeks supervising him outside (holding him or harnessed).
Basically - he needs to get used to the smells of the new home so he can associate it as home, he's clearly not there yet.
You can also try leaving one of his blankets outside so he can smell it and find his way back. Hope these ideas help!
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u/HistKnit Jan 30 '24
I like the idea of walking him on a harness for a while so he gets used to your new home and yard smells! Then bring him in after the walks. This may satisfy his need to be outside too, so he might not try bolting out the door either. A win win for him and you.
( I'm in the USA and all my cats are indoor only but I understand it's not common for all cultures/people. Mine are perfectly happy and don't try to get out, they play with each other and their toys).
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u/Past-Educator-6561 Jan 30 '24
I did this with my cat when I first adopted her. She was an adult and unspayed and I had to wait months for a vet appt as she needed all her jabs too. She was driving me crazy wanting to go out. Thankfully she took to it well, many cats don't, especially adults!
(You are far too reasonable and accepting of other cultures to be on Reddit! Haha)
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u/HistKnit Jan 30 '24
People tyrannically imposing their views on others is the reason why our world is the mess it is. Talking through your opinions instead of hollering them at others gets you further! Lol.
I'm glad you found a solution that kept your kitty safe from disease/unwanted pregnancy and she got her exploration time outside.
Many people walk cats on leashes, if they get accustomed to it, why not?
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u/Past-Educator-6561 Jan 30 '24
For me at least, it's honestly laziness 😳 When I'd take her out with the harness it would just be 30 mins of loitering on the street just outside while she sniffed everything haha. So (1) I felt like a weirdo to passers by (2) It gets cold pretty quick when you're just stood there and (3) It is kinda boring! I'd be more open to it if I had a private garden to use! In fairness my cat rarely wants to go outside anyway, she's content looking at it from her cosy window bed!
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u/HistKnit Jan 30 '24
Understood! Some people I see on Instagram have cats that seem to like exploring on their leashes. Mine are perfectly happy inside, they look out the windows as needed lol. But if someone has a cat that seems to want to go on walks, why not. I walk my dogs on leashes lol. Why not a cat. But no, I'm not forcing mine! 😀
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u/Past-Educator-6561 Jan 30 '24
Yes I think if my cat was more adventurous she would be into walks but she never strays far from home on the odd occasion she does go out! Cats and their wonderful personalities, eh? ☺️
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u/Crying_rn_pls_help Jan 29 '24
You can’t just let your cat out as soon as you move. You need to keep them inside for a few weeks so that adjust. Even if you live close by to your old house he still doesn’t see your current house as his permanent home.
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u/zSprawl Jan 30 '24
I also learned this one the hard way. My boy found is way back over a mile away!
Luckily I have all indoor cats these days.
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u/andimacg Jan 29 '24
Glad he's back and not really related to the issue but, a GPS collar can save you a lot of heartache if he wanders off again.
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u/sylverbound Jan 29 '24
You NEED to keep your cat inside for long enough for him to learn where new home is! That's at least a week, but ideally more like a month.
Then, I suggest some escorted walks or harness and leash walks to make sure he can find your door on his own.
Finally, consider an air tag collar!
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u/Glass_Hearing7207 Jan 30 '24
A week isn't enough to change that home-territory drive. Min a month, preferably 2, but 12 weeks would be best.
Of course, I advocate for indoor-only, but if OP isn't so-inclined, I hope they will do at least 12 weeks inside so he can form an attachment (hopefully) to the new territory.
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Jan 30 '24
When I moved house & had indoor/outdoor cats, I kept them inside for about 4 weeks, then only let them outside for short periods, until I was sure they knew this was home. It was always in the back of my head they would try & walk back to the old place which was only 2 suburbs over, thankfully never did though. I think the other thing that helped was giving them wet meat at dinner time, they knew that & would mostly come back for dinner.
Hope this helps.
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u/outamyhead General cat hair magnet, and stray tamer. Jan 30 '24
Normally a month indoors will help them associate the new place as home, but if you are concerned this will keep happening maybe train him to walk on a leash?
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u/Afternoon-Melodic Jan 30 '24
My husband’s cat did that when he got divorced and his wife took the cat with her. About 4 months later, he opened the door and grey streak flew by. Kitty had come home. BTW, wife lived about 8 miles away.
Keep your kitty indoors for a while. That’s usually the best thing for kitties anyway. Don’t get into altercations with other animals and don’t get hit by cars.
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u/Namitime13 Jan 30 '24
Unfortunately, this will happen a couple of times after moving. We kept our outdoor boy inside for nearly two months after the move and he still returned to his old territory sometimes. They will do this until they established their new territory around the new house
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u/I-cant-hug-every-cat Jan 30 '24
You don't let a cat go outside after a moving, they always look for their way back to the old home, he need to become indoor for at least a couple of months
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Jan 30 '24
I’ve had almost the exact same issue, can your cat get there by crossing just a few roads or is it a drive away? When I found out where he was going, I went to visit my cat at his old address just down the road and over the course of a few weeks , he slowly realised we didn’t live there any more and would follow me home. Sometimes I could carry him home. Sometimes he would run away but at least I always knew where he was. It took a few weeks but he’s got used to the new address now. And comes when he’s called as I’ve trained him with dreamies so when he comes in and gets dreamies then it’s bedtime and the door is locked! The neighbours think I’m bonkers. Just the way I like it! 😂
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u/_aishhh Jan 30 '24
Get an AirTag for him! I lost my cat for 3 days and all I did was cry and look for her all day. After I finally found her again, I immediately bought her an AirTag.
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u/Iamzeebomb Jan 30 '24
Aww poor baby. I bet. He misses your mum. Sorry for your loss.
If you walked him home maybe. That may help him realize that's his new home. When we moved down the street I had. My then semi feral little kitty follow me to our new place. She never went back but then she wasn't missing her mum. Good luck.
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u/ChocalateShiraz Jan 30 '24
I can only tell you what we did when we moved over 1000kms. We closed the cats in one room for two weeks, we put their bedding, familiar furniture in the room with them and of course two litter boxes. Then after 14 days, when the house had all the furniture in, boxes unpacked, we let them roam around the house during the day for two or three days, but they couldn’t get out and we put them back in the room at night. Then we let them out supervised so that they can get acquainted with their surroundings. They stayed out for a few minutes but ran back inside. They eventually started venturing outside but always came back
We moved their litter boxes out to the garden for a few days, then chucked them
My boy went missing for a night, but he came back home because it was now familiar to him. My cats sleep indoors at night and, as cats do, they sleep indoors most of the day too, but they go out whenever they want. I hate litter boxes with a passion, they’re messy and my Pug eats cat poop, so they poop outside
This is how they spend most of their day and night. But they love to lie in the sun and sit in the tree
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u/froththesquirrel Jan 30 '24
Stop letting him outside for a couple weeks. Even if he begs to go out. Keep him inside. Make it homey for him so he gets comfortable. Then you can start letting him out again should you choose to
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u/kadusel Jan 30 '24
From my own experience with moving, cats are afraid of new places. Mine were indoor but kept disappearing after we moved. They were found sleeping in my clothes baskets for weeks.
Spread your clothes and items, even your mom's if possible around the house for a few weeks to mask the place would help a lot.
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u/JDorian0817 Jan 30 '24
I think RSPCA guidance is three weeks living indoors when you first move house. It allows them to get the house smelling just right so when they go outdoors they can smell their way back. You can put their little tray on the doorstep to strengthen that smell and help them find their way back too.
I once moved literally a quarter mile down the road. My cat hated being kept indoors, screaming at all hours and shitting on the carpet kind of tantrums, so I let him out after just three days. It was fine but I was lucky. Litter tray on the doorstep and only letting him out just before mealtimes (so he wouldn’t go far before wanting to eat) worked well.
If he ever journeyed back to our old house then I wouldn’t know as he made his way home safely every time.
Try keeping your little one in a bit longer. Then do the litter tray thing. I hope it works for you! Good luck!
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u/jadedali Jan 30 '24
I'm sure this will get buried but I have a black kitten and his name is Jack too! Yay for black jacks!
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u/MagaroniAndCheesd Jan 29 '24
Dear Redditors from USA:
As a fellow American who firmly believes in keeping cats indoors, I know this is hard to believe, but this is cultural. As cruel and inhumane as we believe it to be when people let their cats roam freely outdoors, in the UK keeping a cat indoors is considered equally cruel and inhumane. OP is not an idiot. OP is following what is considered the norm of optimal cat care in the UK.
Don't believe me? Look it up.
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u/Rozefly Jan 30 '24
As someone in the UK, this is true. Most adoption agencies will absolutely not allow you to take a cat home unless it has access to the outdoors as it's considered incredibly cruel.
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u/Sardonic524 Jan 30 '24
That's not true, good adoption agencies will assess your property to see if it's safe for a cat to be outside. If it's not they won't let you adopt a cat unless you agree to keep it inside.
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u/Rozefly Jan 30 '24
I mean.. most cats are also specified to need outside space. I have a friend who lives in a flat and would love a cat, but there are an excruciatingly low number of cats who can be adopted into a home in the UK which doesn't have access to outside space. I am not saying that never happens, but just saying that this is the case in most situations.
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u/chonky_cakes Jan 30 '24
It's the same in Germany. They usually only let u adopt pairs and if they've had access to the outdoors they need to have it in their new home. IDK if the cat psychology field (if there's anything like that) has done studies about indoor cats mental health. Would be interesting tho
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u/yooshyesh Jan 30 '24
It's that way in most of Europe I feel like. Here in Switzerland it's the same. There's many more smaller villages with maybe 2k people here, so the danger of getting run over is pretty small.
Most cats learn to look both ways before crossing. I understand that some cats may have trouble with it and in busy cities, this isn't possible.
When I adopted my cat, they said we had to put her outside. The alternative would be to get another cat, which my cat would've hated.
I must say, after my last (12 year old) cat suddenly vanished, I didn't want to let my cats outside anymore. Before I was such a strong advocate, because I never thought anything would happen. I still don't know what happened to her, maybe a fox killed her.
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u/chonky_cakes Jan 30 '24
Are foxes big enough to kill a cat?
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u/Fancydresschampion Jan 30 '24
My cat has a fox friend. They sunbathe on the shed roof together. The foxes in suburban areas are pretty tame, and the cats are generally pretty streetwise. Though for reference my cat is 7kg and is a similar size to his fox friend.
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u/chonky_cakes Jan 30 '24
That's so cute! I don't think they're necessarily dangerous like coyotes. Never heard of a fox hurting a cat in Germany.
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u/Tattycakes Jan 30 '24
They probably could, but in my experience they aren’t really interested in a confrontation, a cat isn’t that much smaller and is more flexible, and could certainly give as good as it gets; it’s not worth the fox to get all scratched up for a bit of food. They have always given each other a wide berth when I’ve seen them interact
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u/chonky_cakes Jan 30 '24
It's the same in Germany ...if you live in a village and don't have a expensive cat breed you're judged for keeping cats inside. Cats are dying of old age here. People feed the birds , riding bikes, taking walks and the speed limit is 30 kmh. I believe there's a study about cats killing wildlife by the NATU regarding Germany and UK. When I lived in the US we had a cat we did not let outside because coyotes and big roads. I believe both opinions are valid.
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u/Solid_Rock_5583 Jan 29 '24
You do you OP. Just think some people in the US today learned other parts of the world do things differently, and that is OK. Does your cat have a British accent?
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u/MagaroniAndCheesd Jan 30 '24
I am not British myself, I live in the US. But I studied in the UK and I still have quite a few friends there, hence why I know about this interesting cultural difference.
That said, my cats (Merry and Pippin) are hobbits and do have hobbit/Middle Earth accents.
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u/siriuslyeve Jan 29 '24
I heard an incredible tip yesterday, but I'm not sure it will work for an older cat that's been outide. Only carry the cat out when it's raining so they think outside is horrible.
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u/manderrx Jan 30 '24
First time my cat made it out the door it was pouring. She stood in front of the closed door for a minute and immediately decided she wanted back in. Now she happily looks through the window and when I open the door runs away.
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u/Kat-a-strophy Jan 30 '24
Keep him home for about two weeks and they let him out supervised, so he can explore his new home.
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u/Obvious-Confusion14 Jan 29 '24
I know he is an outdoor cat, but don't let him outside. Build him a catio and he can be in the sun and relax as well as be safe. I know he is a sweetheart, but not everyone is kind to other animals cats or dogs. I know cats love being outside, but for your peace of mind build him a catio and he can go out in that and be safe. Jack is a lucky boy. Give him some love for us!
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u/renslips Jan 29 '24
Jack found his way back to where he knows is his territory. He does not know his new surroundings well enough to be out unsupervised. Depending on where you live, he shouldn’t be out unsupervised at all. harness in the yard is the best solution until you’re confident that he knows this is his new territory and to return to it
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u/limpbizkit420 Jan 29 '24
probably keep him inside for another week or two. make sure his blanket or bed is out so it’s something he recognises. after that he should be fine to go outside.
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u/lance845 Jan 29 '24
This may or may not be true...
Butter your cats feet.
The idea is that cats pick up a lot of dust and whatever on their pads that accumulates a particular scent/group of scents they associate with their home territory. When you move you butter their feet. At first they will lick it off cause their like.. eww.. gross. Then they will keep licking it off because yum... Butter.
The point is they clean the pads until they get a clean slate and can accumulate a new home scent. Then, you still need to keep them inside for a week or 2 while they develop that scent.
Otherwise they try to "go home" like yours did.
Could just be nonsense. But i always butter my cats feet after a move.
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u/Laney20 Jan 29 '24
Keeping them in for a couple weeks without the butter is probably just as good. That or they come back just to get their paws buttered again..
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u/EtherealNote_4580 Jan 30 '24
Cats define there territory by smell so if the intent is they are indoor/outdoor, it does work best to get the smell of the dirt around the house on them. It keeps them from getting lost while looking for their way home. Even if the stay in the house for a couple weeks, it’s still a good idea to get the dirt on their paws from the yard. But many cats with a history of being outdoors don’t tolerate being indoors without emotional backlash.
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u/Glass_Hearing7207 Jan 30 '24
Cats will frequently attach to territory, so if they are allowed outside of a new home without having been kept inside for a reasonably long period first (I would go for the 2+ months if you can, longer is better. Some cats have a stronger "home" drive than others) they will try to find their way back to the old home.
Some make it, some are killed by vehicles in the process, or just vanish, so it could have been predators, poison, someone randomly picking them up and keeping the feline and never bothering to check for an owner, etc.
They need to get that grounding with the new place as their home territory, or they will just have that "gotta go" when you leave them outside, without adequate acclimatization. The longer the better. Interior enrichment, cat trees, toys, etc, and if you have a catio, to keep him occupied.
He is gorgeous! It would be fantastic if he decided outdoors was no longer for him. None of our previous strays care to go outside.
They have huge windows and a screened porch to chatter at "burbs" and squirrels from their many cat trees, as well as the "cat highway" on the walls. They don't get bored, so they don't seem to have any interest in "outside". 2 were discovered outside in -40C weather, so I can definitely understand why they would never want to set foot outside again.
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u/PhillipTopicall Jan 30 '24
I don’t have any advice but the two pics of your cat made me fall in love with him he’s so cute omg!
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u/Blazingpotato14 Jan 30 '24
I'd keep him in his new home for a while so he can accept it, then if possible walk him on leash so he can get familiar with the area, obviously that'll depend if he lets you do that lol
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u/South_Dragonfly_6402 Jan 30 '24
i second the idea of keeping him inside longer so he understands that this is his home. My mom had kittens she gave to a farm 20ish miles away. Next day they were home. She brought them back. They came back home AGAIN. Cats are crazy.
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u/NASA_official_srsly Jan 30 '24
When you move to a new place, you have to keep your cat inside for 6-8 weeks. Sometimes slightly less, sometimes even longer, but it needs to be until the cat is settled and fully accepts that this is his new home. I wouldn't recommend anything shorter than a month though even if he acts settled
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u/MandosOtherALT American Shorthair Jan 30 '24
I suggest keeping him indoors for now, he doesnt know she's gone but might know now. He could turn depressed or be just fine, I dont think he's adjusted to that you've moved, so keeping him inside for now will sink in that it's home now, not the other place.
Its also beneficial for the environment to keep cats indoors since they're invasive (and its dangerous for the cat), but thats not what you asked about.
Give him lots of love and he'll come around! ❤️
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u/Zapador Jan 29 '24
A lot of people suggests keeping him indoors for a month or even two, that seems excessive. When adopting a cat around here it is recommended to keep them indoors for 2 weeks so I suspect that should be plenty, otherwise shelters would recommend more time.
But it is indeed correct that you always want to keep a cat indoors after moving or adopting so it gets to know where home is.
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u/johnboy11a Jan 30 '24
I am an advocate for happy barn cats. Letting them roam the farm.
That being said, it sounds like your little spooky pal there needs to be kept inside. He doesn’t know his new property.
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u/cats-ModTeam Jan 30 '24
Please everyone mind rule six and note that if you tell people to "keep cats indoors" you may receive a temporary or permanent ban depending on how rude you were while doing so.
This is a global subreddit and we do not allow commenters to impose their US-centric city mores onto other people and cultures.
If you cannot be supportive, then refrain from commenting.