Another home.

Thinking maybe Buddy has now found somewhere else to live as I've hardly seen him this past few days. He hasn't had much to eat here either, just sleeps then goes out all day/night. He came in last night at 8.45 had some food then went out and hasn't been back since. He usually comes in during the night but not for the last few nights. He used to be so close to me but now I feel that our friendship is slipping away. He doesn't want me to cuddle him anymore and when I try to get close to him he runs away. He hasn't played with Mary for ages and has been abit negative over the past few weeks. I really don't want to lose him but I feel that he doesn't want to be here anymore. Everytime I put a name tag on his collar he seems to lose the collar, he hasn't got a tag on his collar at the moment, after losing the last one, but am going to get one then see if his collar disappears, maybe someone is taking them off him and trying to claim him as their own, but they can't say he is theirs as he is chipped. I feel so sad that he is being like this, I hope he realises that his home is here.

Lets just hope he's going through a phase Lynn, they do that sometimes. I really feel for you, as it would break my heart if I lost my connection with Prince.
It must be frustrating, as we only have a certain amount of control over what our cats do/where they go. If you knew he was frequenting somewhere like "Ians House", where he had access to food, but not being overly encouraged, then that would be fine, but I dont like to think of someone removing his collar to claim him!

Hi Lynn,

I've replied at *the other place* but I'll repeat it here.

I'm the last person who should be offering advice over this as all my cats, barring the much missed Beckett, have adopted me. Even now, my neighbours are getting a bit fed up of one of their cats, Jimmy, spending so much time here, as like Buddy, he rarely goes home anymore. They've already *lost* two cats to me, the still much missed Black Tom, and Fudge, so losing another one wouldn't go down well with them at all.

Have you tried keeping Buddy in for a while? This is usually the first step in trying to reinforce that your house is his real home, that said, my neighbours tried this with Jimmy and it hasn't worked as he sneaked in thro' the flap last night and slept in my bedroom. Giving him extra treats is not a bad idea, things he really loves to eat that he is unlikely to get elsewhere.

I hope I'm wrong, but it may be that Buddy has found another home, cats will go where they want and there's little to be done once they've made their minds up.

Have you no idea where he goes, or asked around to see if anyone else nearby knows? The odds are, if he has found somewhere else it'll be nearby, tho' if someone is deliberately taking his collar off, I'd be pretty mad about that.

Hope everything works out and he settles back with you and Mary.

Ian

Hi Lynn, this is the sort of thing that happened with Sophie earlier this year. She would disappear for hours at a stretch and I ad no idea where she was. She also didn't eat much at home, yet she looked as though she was putting on weight. We keep both of ours in at night and I started keeping her in from teatime (if she was at home), she wasn't happy but I persevered, eventually she stopped staying out for hours, but what I did notice is that she loves company and we were out all day, so maybe she was getting attention elsewhere. Maybe if you really fussed over Buddy and as Ian said give him treats, make him want to come home to you, keep him in at night and let him sleep on your bed, if hubby odesn't mind of course. With Buddy being like this atm, maybe you should reconsider taking in a dog until he's settled with you again.
Could you attach a note on his collar asking him not to be fed? Lie, say he has a medical condition, IF someone is trying to claim him, that just might put them off.

Teddy wrote:Hi Lynn, this is the sort of thing that happened with Sophie earlier this year. She would disappear for hours at a stretch and I ad no idea where she was. She also didn't eat much at home, yet she looked as though she was putting on weight. We keep both of ours in at night and I started keeping her in from teatime (if she was at home), she wasn't happy but I persevered, eventually she stopped staying out for hours, but what I did notice is that she loves company and we were out all day, so maybe she was getting attention elsewhere. Maybe if you really fussed over Buddy and as Ian said give him treats, make him want to come home to you, keep him in at night and let him sleep on your bed, if hubby odesn't mind of course. With Buddy being like this atm, maybe you should reconsider taking in a dog until he's settled with you again.
Could you attach a note on his collar asking him not to be fed? Lie, say he has a medical condition, IF someone is trying to claim him, that just might put them off.

Hi Kath,
Buddy has been in most of today and is now sitting beside me and has had both his meals, so I'm glad of that. I have tried keeping him in before but he manages to sneak out when he gets the chance. I have made fuss of him today and they have both had tin tuna for brekkie (their saturday treat). Both Mary and Buddy sleep on the bed whenever they want, day or night. Buds likes to sleep on my chest and stretch out whilst Mary likes to curl up beside me, but the duvet has to be pulled back so that she can sleep on the sheet as close to me as she can get. They both know that they are spoilt rotten, I think I gave them too much freedom after Henry died as the main door downstairs was always closed but now it's permanetly open. That will change again if we do get a dog but we have discussed putting a flap in the internal door. So hoping that Buds is just going through a phase, and he realises he lives with us.

Am sure he is Lynn, he may just have wander lust and be exploring further afield. Sophie has settled down now, she does still disappear for ages but she always comes back. We still keep them in at night though, Moto would prefer to be out but I prefer them to be in. LOL Just keep fussing him Lynn, you're doing all the right things, he knows where he has everything he needs and I doubt if he is going elsewhere.