I wonder where this cat is staying?

[Chris142]

For the past couple of months I have had a Grown Ferrel cat hanging around. He's terrified of people so I'm assuming that I'm the only people he has seen up close.

I have been feeding him when he's around. Sometimes he will disapear for 3-4 days and his food sits there untouched. Then he shows back up.

At first he was staying in my garage/shed(door is warped enough for him to get in). I would go out there to get a tool or something out of the freezer and I'd scare him, he'd take off running. Lately when I go out there he's not there.



I have searched the yard looking for a place he could be staying (I have 10 acres) but theres nothing. I'm in the desert and there's no neighbors close by. Often after eating he walks off heading east.

Today we had a pretty good rain. The cat has learned that the sound of my truck means I'll be putting out food so he often shows up about 5 minutes after I get home.

@5:15 today he showed up and was completly dry.

I'm concerned about him cruising the desert with the Coyotes that I see in my yard, even on my porch often and I wish he would permantly move into the garage/shed for safety and rat patrol.

He's never dirty like he was staying in a hole and he must be pretty close by to be here 5 minutes after I get home.

 

[Chris142]

BTW we have gone from being this close...

To him letting me be this close. Sorry about my bad cell phone pic.

 

[refaller]

Male cats, IIRC, have a very big range (like over a mile). We had a neutered male (supposedly smaller range) who hated to be indoors. We moved 2 blocks and he never really moved with us. I would bring him here and he would disappear. Saw him for 5 years when I would go to the old house. He used to disappear for days too. Haven't seen him for a couple of months, but 13 years for a totally outdoor cat is pretty good.

ref

 

[wkcars]

Neighbors around me have some outdoor cats that roam around, i see them under cars, in some drainage openings, on trees, under bushes, on fences...they go all over.

 

[Chris142]

I wonder how he finds his way back here if he's a mile away? He's too short to see over the tumbleweeds and such. Could he recognize the house from one of the hills in the area?

 

[Artem]

Catch that sucker and "PET" him. Show him who's boss. Hahaha.

From your story, it sounds like he's got everything under control. He probably goes around the block, sleeping over at his many girlfriends houses and comes to see you for a nice meal and a garage to snoop around in.

Cats are ridiculously good at hiding. My 3 month old cat hides all the time. We would search ALL OVER the place and can't find him. Then he just comes waltzing down the hall when he wants a drink or a meal.

This cat most likely hides in your garage, you just can't see him.

Either that or my original guess of staying at his baby's mama house. Lol.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Artem
Catch that sucker and "PET" him. Show him who's boss.


Your trying to get me killed ain't ya? That 10lb cat could shred my 200 lbs of fat!

I'm working on making him friendlier but slowly.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
I wonder how he finds his way back here if he's a mile away? He's too short to see over the tumbleweeds and such. Could he recognize the house from one of the hills in the area?


Lots of stories about cats travelling long distances; a girl I work with moved 12 miles to a new house and her cat made it back to the house she moved out of.....

Look @ how smart this one is, he has someone else paying for the meal....

 

[csx7006]

a Democrat cat

 

[Kuato]

Not as feral as he used to be! Looks like he's figured out a permanent feed stop.

 

[michaelluscher]

To quote a rather good T.V show, "I love cats, they are the epitome of indifference."

 

[ECUpirate]

He's coming around but I would advise against trying to catch him hahaha. You have to earn a cat's trust and, even then, you're still on thin ice. Try Sardines and he'll be eating out of your hand in no time. I'm a dog person. They're much easier to trick!

 

[Silk]

Cats can cover a lot of ground in a short time. On one of our moves our cat wouldn't - we moved about 10km road miles, but this was a rural NZ island, coastal, hilly and covered in bush. We'd try to keep him inside, but he'd demand to go out at midnight - the old neighbour said he would walk down their drive at 7.00am. After work I'd go to the old place and bring him home...next day I'd do it again. I took him to his new home 13 times, until his paws were bleeding and there was blood in his droppings. The old neighbour said give it up, we'll take him on.

 

[Chris142]

He was waiting for breakfast @ 6:05 this morning. I saw another cat late last night. A grey one. Where are these cats coming from? It's not like I have lots of neighbors close by.

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
He was waiting for breakfast @ 6:05 this morning. I saw another cat late last night. A grey one. Where are these cats coming from? It's not like I have lots of neighbors close by.


Some [censored] dropping them off? I am always amazed at how cruel some can be.