Disappearing cat - where does he go?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Leon Heller - 15 Oct 2003 11:45 GMT

Babbage, my chocolate Burmese cat, goes out most mornings and comes back
in the evening. A couple of times now, he has disappeared for a whole
week - he returned yesterday morning from his latest 'holiday'. Someone
has obviously been looking after him and keeping him indoors, as his
claws are very neat, unlike their usual tatty state, and he has
obviously been fed, although he has lost some weight.

When this has happened he comes back in a somewhat neurotic state - he
keeps crying and demanding attention - but settles down in a couple of
days. Whoever has been looking after him has presumably gets fed up with
his behaviour.

Like all Burmese, he is very friendly, and loves people making a fuss of
him, even strangers. I think he often goes into peoples' houses and gets
fed, as he's not usually very hungry when he comes in. One of my
neighbors said he visited her once and ate the chicken she was
preaparing for her lunch. Previous Burmese I've owned have also visited
the neighbors. One used to spend the day with an elderly lady in a house
near me whilst I was at work (he'd scratch on her back door to be let
in), and would be waiting for me at the end of the road when I got back
in the evening.

Has anyone got any ideas for finding out who has been keeping Babbage
when he disappears? I can't really go from door to door asking
questions, as he often follows me for about 1/4 mile up the road when I
go out (he gives up after that), and I suppose it could be anyone in the
street I live in. I think it is most likely to be someone close, though.
I could put a tracking device on a collar, I suppose, I have the
technology. 8-) Another option would be to put a note in all the
letter-boxes.

BTW, he doesn't have a collar - I don't like them as they can cause
quite serious injuries.

Leon

Reply to this Message

Ted Davis - 15 Oct 2003 13:45 GMT

>Babbage, my chocolate Burmese cat, goes out most mornings and comes back
>in the evening. A couple of times now, he has disappeared for a whole
>week - he returned yesterday morning from his latest 'holiday'. Someone
>has obviously been looking after him and keeping him indoors, as his
>claws are very neat, unlike their usual tatty state, and he has
>obviously been fed, although he has lost some weight.

<snip>

>Has anyone got any ideas for finding out who has been keeping Babbage
>when he disappears? I can't really go from door to door asking
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>technology. 8-) Another option would be to put a note in all the
>letter-boxes.

Go around asking the neighbors *while he's gone* - makes everything
easier: you have a valid reason for asking (he's missing) and if he
follows you around, then you have found him.

T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.

Reply to this Message

m. L. Briggs - 15 Oct 2003 17:52 GMT

>Babbage, my chocolate Burmese cat, goes out most mornings and comes back
>in the evening. A couple of times now, he has disappeared for a whole
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>
>Leon

You asked and answered your own question.

Reply to this Message

Judy - 15 Oct 2003 22:51 GMT

snip, snip

> I could put a tracking device on a collar, I suppose, I have the
> technology. 8-) Another option would be to put a note in all the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Leon

I think that if you want to find out how your cat spends his time you need
to collar him. Not all collars result in serious injuries. There are
options. Perhaps you should investigate these.

When Matilda goes out she wears one that is completely elasticized. It works
well. When she climbed the tree in our yard, lost her balance and snagged
the collar on a small branch - was hanging by the neck for all of a few
scary seconds. She slipped out of it easily.

On the collar is a tag with her name, address and phone number.

Think about it.

Judy & Matilda

Reply to this Message

Luvskats00 - 17 Oct 2003 01:49 GMT

Leon Heller leon_heller@hotmail.com
writes

>Babbage...goes out most >mornings and comes back
>in the evening. A couple of times >now, he has disappeared for a >whole
>week.....Someone
>has obviously been looking after >him and keeping him indoors, as his
>claws are very neat, unlike their usual tatty state,

Tatty? Sounds like you should allow the other "caretaker(s)" to keep Babbage.
There must be a reason you allow for this "tatty" state. If you can't trim the
nails..have a professional do it. Also, did you counsel the cat on the
difference between red & green traffic signals? looking both ways when crossing
the street? NOT to drink/eat toxic substances? NOT to be bitten by predators?
NOT to stay around when a group of people coming up (with clubs or a desire to
hurt small animals) comes up the road?

>BTW, he doesn't have a collar - I don't like them as they can cause
>quite serious injuries.

As a vet assistant and feline cat rescuer, I can't fathom why any person with a
brain would allow a cat to roam outside (unless miles & miles away from any
person, poison or wild animal) with no protection for the cat. No collar w/ID
(if hit by a cat, owner would be uninformed)..if maimed by a predator (owner
would be uninformed), etc. No mention of, say, a microchip...a device which
(when scanned) would offer a name & address of the person who is responsible
for the cat). Animal control sees a cat (on the tatty side) and logically
believes the cat is a stray. Control officer takes cat to shelter. Perhaps
owner never gets to find out that the cat is gone forever to heaven..or,
hopefully, another home.

Reply to this Message

Lynn Davies - 17 Oct 2003 06:08 GMT

I agree about the collar. A cat from opposite used to visit my house wore a
leather collar. I detached it and put it into the neighbour's letterbox with
a friendly note saying that an elastic collar would be safer. The next day
the cat turned up wearing the leather collar. What can one do?

Reply to this Message