How Long is normal for a cat to be gone

brianregan09

So I have cat (male) since a kitten for 5 years now he stays outside but always is let in around the house and stuff and often stays in all day until we go to bed

Sometimes he goes missing for the day or two the most he's ever been missing is 3 days

He's been gone now since Wednesday and I'm really starting to worry is it normal for males to be gone this long, I have looked around the area and no sign

Nody

I'll assume neutered and if it is longer than usual I'd start looking and call his name. If he's been hurt chances are he may be hiding under a bush or similar but will react to his name but there is honestly no way to say what's "normal" as it's individual.

brianregan09

He isn't neutered

ads20101

I don't want to give false hope, but I have had 2 experiences where a home cat has disappeared for a prolonged period of time:

- 1st experience: when I was 8 our cat disappeared, found it 3 months later being fed by an elderly manager of the local corner shop. He (our cat) was getting extremely well fed, but what I remember the most was that the elderly shop keeper was emotionally distraught when we reclaimed our pet.

- Our last cat: About 5 years ago, we had a really lovable home cat (would never disappear) went for about 2 months. We put up posters, made enquiries around the neighbourhood to no avail. To be honest I had given up hope. He just turned up one day, muddy as hell. I have no idea where he was during this time period.

Cats wander and appear not to care about our feelings

Fakediamond

Could be trapped in a neighbours shed so I'd ask around.

A male cat, who isn't neutered, could have fought with a feral cat passing through his territory and be injured, or could just be afraid to come home if the other male is still around.

Are you in a rural area?

Ms Doubtfire1

It's mating season.If he isn't neutered he's out and about. making more kittens and fighting with other cats. :-(

CaoimheSquee

My own cat disappeared for 12 days when we moved a couple of years ago. She just turned up at the front door - very upset but ok!

Neighbours of ours cat went missing for a month a year ago. It went on Halloween night so didn't look good but it had got stuck in a neighbours shed and survived weeks without proper food and water! It recovered fully too

.......

This post has been deleted.

myshirt

Go out looking for the cat if it is unusual because my daughter's cat was the same and I kept saying ah he will come back, but we actually ultimately found him wedged in between 2 sheds, upside down, weak, and covered in sh't. He had got trapped there. Was on verge of death.

mickstupp

Our old cat once disappeared for five weeks. Showed up at the window one morning and acted like nothing had happened.

taytobreath

Also may I add, getting him neutered will most likely stop him wandering off looking for his hole, someone else said its mating season, but its not normally at this time of the year, but sometimes the odd female comes in heat and thats what your fella could be after

brianregan09

Yes I get it thank you for all you're "hardball comments" I will be getting him neutered when he comes home ......We're living in a rural village in one of 3 housing estates. and obviously we have been out looking for him and asking around,

I swear the snarkiness on here you'd swear I put up this post and sat here waiting for some fool to tell me where he is, I've been worried sick and out the minute I'm up looking for him ....and yes I will be getting him neutered thanks,

and for the person that mentioned being a responsible owner how dare you question me and what do you know about my situation or my animals. I have 2 dogs also both neutered who get on great with the cat and have the life of riley

DBB

Brianregan09, if you've a problem with a post, please report it. Do not take matters into your own hands as you have done here.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks
DBB

.......

This post has been deleted.

Cheshire Cat

Saw a post on facebook yesterday about a cat in Galway coming home after missing for more than 6 months.

brianregan09

Rabble Rabble Rabble I get it ....I'm upset over my pet sorry I'll sort it when he does come back.

Be a week tomorrow

muddypaws

OP, one of my cats disappeared for a few weeks, I put posters up, fliers through all the local doors, spoke to all of the neighbours, and no sign of her. She then turned up in my next door neighbour's shed, who had been very supportive, and loved cats. They hadn't noticed her going into the shed, and even though I had asked people to check their sheds and garages, they hadn't because they just assumed she wouldn't have gone in there. Thankfully their son was visiting, had gone outside for a smoke, and heard her! So, the moral of the story is that even if you have told people that your cat is missing, and they would never intentionally hurt an animal, he may be shut in a shed or garage without them knowing.

I doubt it is the case here unfortunately, it was in London that my cat went missing, so they did used to keep records, but maybe phone the local council to see if the street cleaners have come across any cats that have been knocked down.

I hope he comes back safely.

DBB

brianregan09 wrote: »

Rabble Rabble Rabble I get it ....I'm upset over my pet sorry I'll sort it when he does come back.

Be a week tomorrow

Brianregan09, people are trying to help you here. Whilst I understand you're upset about your cat, other posters have told you some unsavoury facts about allowing unneutered toms to roam.
You can choose to accept these facts, or you can disagree. But no matter what you choose, it is not acceptable to address other posters in the frankly smartarsey fashion that you've used in recent posts. Feel free to disagree, but not with that attitude... It's not particularly conducive to encouraging people to help you.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

taytobreath

muddypaws wrote: »

OP, one of my cats disappeared for a few weeks, I put posters up, fliers through all the local doors, spoke to all of the neighbours, and no sign of her. She then turned up in my next door neighbour's shed, who had been very supportive, and loved cats. They hadn't noticed her going into the shed, and even though I had asked people to check their sheds and garages, they hadn't because they just assumed she wouldn't have gone in there. Thankfully their son was visiting, had gone outside for a smoke, and heard her! So, the moral of the story is that even if you have told people that your cat is missing, and they would never intentionally hurt an animal, he may be shut in a shed or garage without them knowing.

I doubt it is the case here unfortunately, it was in London that my cat went missing, so they did used to keep records, but maybe phone the local council to see if the street cleaners have come across any cats that have been knocked down.

I hope he comes back safely.

Excellent point, it reminds me of the time when my cat went missing uncharacteristically for 2 days. I eventually found her trapped in a lobster cage. If i hadn't of gone looking for her and calling her she would of been trapped in there and died a horrible death because there was no one around to hear her cry.

Brian, go out in the night time and call him, he will recognize your voice and may come to you. I'd be covering at least a mile radius if I were u.
I hope u find him, i no its a horrible feeling not knowing where your cat is, human nature always makes us think of the worst outcomes.
Good luck

mcgiggles

ads20101 wrote:

Cats wander and appear not to care about our feelings

This! Fkrs! My fella went missing for 5 days the first time but found him in a shed injured he had managed to make it back to us with a broken hip. Second time was after we moved house went off for 4 days again, moved from a rural house to an estate in same rural area was worried sh*tless.. then he strolls in on the fourth day as if nothing happened. Cheeky fkr
Hope he comes back OP!

triple nipple

brianregan09 wrote:

So I have cat (male) since a kitten for 5 years now he stays outside but always is let in around the house and stuff and often stays in all day until we go to bed

brianregan09 wrote:

Sometimes he goes missing for the day or two the most he's ever been missing is 3 days

brianregan09 wrote:

He's been gone now since Wednesday and I'm really starting to worry is it normal for males to be gone this long, I have looked around the area and no sign

Any chance this cat is grey in colour and in Dublin?

DEFTLEFTHAND

Had a wild lad years ago who once a year or so would go missing for a week to ten days. He was neutered so wasn't off romancing. He'd come back worse for wear sometimes so we presumed he was fighting other Toms. He put us through an awful lot of worry as he was a deeply loved family animal.

Have two these days. One is ancient and doesn't go outside the door anymore and the other is a timid little calico who only ventures out into the back garden for 10 or 15 mins a day before retreating back indoors.

brianregan09

No this is Limerick County area Fedamore to be exact, He's a big black and white fella bigger than most jack russels.

We've been going out every day and night looking for him with a scissors and a carton of milk, A scissors because whenever I'm doing a curry (quite often) he always coming over when I cut the chicken and I always give him a little bit of fat off it . We've been in every estate up and down and asked everyone we know in the area to keep an eye out have his picture up on all the local animal welfare pages and shelters

Apologies for my reply's I really didn't need to be smart arsey or snarky the 2nd time , I got the message , several people have said it to me so I know and I got the message that's all I was saying don't need the point to be continually brought up. anyway onwards and hopefully he turns up

ads20101

He looks well cared for - hope he turns up soon op

Fakediamond

He's lovely. I'd really ask all the neighbours to check their sheds. A friend of mine had the neighbours cat in her shed for 10 days and, despite passing the shed every day, never heard a sound. Cat was hungry, thirsty, but otherwise fine when liberated.

My female, neutered cat left home for 6 weeks when the dog arrived. I was resigned to never seeing her again when she arrived back home, thinner but in good health, had a big feed, buried herself in the folds of a blanket and slept her little head off. That was four years ago. She still disappears occasionally for a few days during baby rabbit season :eek:

Kurn

They can go missing for some time (mine went for 12 days - all neutered - but turned up thank God), particularity un-neutered and in mating season... - for them it's Christmas on Grafton Street only with slightly more fights.

Keep looking and I hope he turns up. I understand how you feel about some of the comments on the thread, but in this case they do have a point, look at any animal charity and see how full they are with unwanted pets.

Fingers crossed for you.

Any sign yet Brian?

When I was in my early teens our family cat went missing. Myself and my two younger brothers went door to door in all the local estates. No exaggeration, we knocked on hundreds of doors.

Our dog had just died, our cat disappeared and we HAD to find him. We left a discription and our number with everyone. Eventually we got a lead. Someone had seen a neighbour with a similar cat. The neighbour had thought he was stray (his collar had come off at some point) and called a cat charity we'd never heard of.

We got in contact. He'd been rehomed. Myself and my mum went to the house. They were understandably extremely upset. As were we. Everyone was crying. (Bar the cat who was pretending he'd never met us before). We took him home and got them a new kitten. The relief was incredible.

These days people rely on Facebook etc. Which is fantastic. But you cant beat footwork. We spoke to so many people who didn't give a feck about cats but they genuinely felt for us and I knew without doubt that they would keep they're eyes and ears peeled.

Knock on every door. Contact every rescue/animal charity. I have my fingers crossed for you OP.

And yeah neuter!

taytobreath

u could try putting posters up on a few light posts around ure estate. desperate times, desperate measures

brianregan09

Still noting no one locally seems to have heard either

brianregan09

brianregan09 wrote: »

Still noting no one locally seems to have heard either

Really sorry to hear that.

Don't give up hope. Cats are feckers for disappearing for weeks on end and then coming back as if nothing happened.

taytobreath

any joy brian

kathleen37

I do hope he comes back - one of ours (neutured) used to go off on his holidays any time it was sunny. I used to be out shouting for him and if he was close he would hear me and come back

Longest ever time he went off, was seven weeks. I really thought he was a gonna. He did come back though, chubby as ever so I'd guess someone had been feeding him.

I hope your boy is home soon.

brianregan09

Nope

boomerang

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

It's mating season.If he isn't neutered he's out and about. making more kittens and fighting with other cats. :-(

This.

An un-neutered tom will travel up to seven miles in search of a mate.

boomerang

taytobreath wrote: »

Also may I add, getting him neutered will most likely stop him wandering off looking for his hole, someone else said its mating season, but its not normally at this time of the year, but sometimes the odd female comes in heat and thats what your fella could be after

The cats are definitely coming into heat now as we had a mild winter. Some are pregnant already. (I work neutering feral cats.)