# Indoor cat escaped 2 weeks after adoption - help



## samps21 (Dec 31, 2020)

We adopted a very timid tabby (10 years old) just over two weeks ago, he'd been with the RSPCA for only a few weeks having been brought in as an injured stray. We had to take him to the vets on Wednesday for a final round of vaccinations and in the process of taking him to the vets he inexplicably escaped out of his carrier on our driveway and bounded off. I am absolutely distraught at what has happened - I don't understand how it happened, and he was traumatised already at the process of trying to get him into the carrier which took about 15 minutes. Now I have no idea where he is and he doesn't know the area at all or even what our house looks like. I have:
- been out searching the surrounding roads at dawn and dusk
- posted flyers to over 100 houses in the nearest 3 streets
- put up posters and posted on local Facebook pages.
- I've also put his litter tray outside our front door. Annoyingly our house is in a cul de sac and not directly on the road linking to the other streets (the direction he ran off to), so at nighttime I've also put two food bowls leading down our lane to lure him down.

I'm tormenting myself with worrying how he is, where he's sleeping (especially in this cold weather) and what he is eating. My family suspects due to his nature he may have been a feral or farm cat in his previous life, as he didn't welcome human contact but also didn't flinch in fear at our touch (like our old cat did who had been physically abused). I think RSPCA didn't categorise him as feral as he had a gentle nature and didn't hiss or scratch. He also has made it to the age of 10 without being neutered or microchipped which maybe backs the theory he was feral before - it gives me a bit of hope then he may know how to handle himself at least. But I just want to get him back. Is there any other advice on things I could be doing?


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## Babyshoes (Jul 1, 2016)

Is he microchipped? Let the microchip company know he's missing. Also contact all vets in the area to ask if he's been brought in. 

I do hope the rescue removed his pompoms before rehoming him to you? If not, or if it was very recent, he could have traveled a lot further than you might think due to hormones, so spread a wide net when calling vets, postering etc. 

He may initially be hiding fairly close by. Can you go out at night when it's quiet with treats to rattle and a torch? Shine the torch under every car, under and into every bush etc. 

In this weather, I would also put out a warm, waterproof plastic box full of straw, with smelly food and fresh water nearby, under cover if possible . (Briefly microwave cat food/sardines in tomato sauce or similar so it's smellier...) If it gets eaten and/or slept in, but no sign of him, you could buy or borrow a night camera to see if it's him using it. If so, contact your local rescue (a small rescue might be more responsive) to borrow a trap.


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## samps21 (Dec 31, 2020)

Thank you, yes sorry forgot to say that when he was in the RSPCA's care he was microchipped and neutered. There have been possible sightings of him on a street less than a mile away, and I know people are looking out for him. One lady tried to get close though and he ran off - so I also have no clue how I'd ever get close to him to be honest. He wouldn't come to me easily while here in the house.

I'd love to put a box out or night camera but the radius he is being potentially seen is across several people's gardens and there's no clear one spot to focus on. I may put out more little food dishes overnight in a trail to our street, but wondering how strong a cat's sense of smell is distance wise and where makes sense to do this.


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