How do cats get lost?

drano

The "lost cat" topic (not to mention all the signs in the neighborhood) comes up now and then, and - since we now have a cat - I would like to know the various ways in which cats are getting lost. Fact is, if the cat took off the kid would be inconsolable and my wife and I would be none too pleased either, so I'd like to avoid this problem. Thus far the "keeping the cat inside" strategy has worked pretty well for us, but maybe our cat doesn't have any ambition as far as escape attempts go; let me know what we should keep an eye out for if she changes her mind. I suppose with enough effort she could knock a screen out or something, I dunno.

oiseau

Look to see if she is digging a hole. Usually they hide it under their litter box. If she is thinking about escaping, she maybe hoarding food.

this may help Excerpts from a Cat's Diary

keiusey

If she's tying the sheets in knots, hiding her pick axe, or making friends with the delivery men, I think you might have cause to be concerned

I don't know the real answer. My cats are indoor cats. Stella would make a run for it, because she's just the adventurous type. I keep a close eye on workers/delivery people coming in/out, screens that may come loose, etc.

rose

Some of the lost cats are indoor/outdoor cats who disappear and others sneak out when the door is left open. The best way to make sure you don't lose a cat is to never let it outside, ever, even in the backyard when you're watching. If they're inside cats from kittenhood on, they may find the outside so scary that they never try to go out.

My cats are always trying to sneak out the front door. We have an interior door so I try to make sure I always close that before I open the exterior door. It's a pain, but better than losing a cat.

alafairnadia

lupita doesn't try to sneak out but ifa always runs out. thankfully I'm on the 4th floor and he runs up the stairs toward the roof. which has a locked door.

drano

Rose wrote: Some of the lost cats are indoor/outdoor cats who disappear and others sneak out when the door is left open. The best way to make sure you don't lose a cat is to never let it outside, ever, even in the backyard when you're watching. If they're inside cats from kittenhood on, they may find the outside so scary that they never try to go out.

My cats are always trying to sneak out the front door. We have an interior door so I try to make sure I always close that before I open the exterior door. It's a pain, but better than losing a cat.

Ah, ok. The problem is that I was assuming that no one would be letting their cat out in the city. Sorry, but that just falls under the category of "WTF did you think would happen?" to me. Too much that can go wrong, even without the wild animals.

As far cats sneaking out goes, I guess accidents happen. We used to have a cat way back when that was always trying to get out - his constant attempts trained me to be aware of where he was when the door was open. The one we have now, well, if she did make an attempt at this point, she might catch me napping - but she'd only get as far as the hallway.

drano

Spring has sprung and the honeymoon is over. My wife caught the cat working on a screen...clever. She's got no hope of opening it, but still - I'm insulted.

MOD

Yup, never trust those kitties, they'll turn you out for a dime of catnip anytime.

brooklynleather

i woke up this morning to find that my window was COMPLETELY MISSING. after determing i wasn't broken into, i completely freaked out frantically trying to account for my two kitties. both were still here. i am glad they didn't try to venture outside. now i have to have a word with my super.

laura

Thank god your kitties didn't get out! The one time my Aubrey got out was when some painters lifted up my window screen. Thankfully he only got as far as next door and hid under some bushes.

I'm always having anxiety nightmares that some idiot has left a door or window open and I can't find my cats.