Hi there,

I recently posted an ad on the site for my missing cat Yoshi:

http://www.nationalpetregister.org/mp/20536.htm

He is around 10-11 months old, and still looks like a kitten, and certainly acts like one! He has not been neutered, though was just about to book him in, perfect timing!

I knew for about 2 or 3 months that he was sexually active (just by looking!), so I'm guessing he will have been wanting a female cat! I understand that cats who are courting can disappear for days to weeks until they are 'satisfied' and return home. However, my cat rarely went further than the next road. In fact, he would only be found within the space of a few doors down either way on our road. He would also be indoors a LOT of the time, loved it inside, usually every day he would wait to be allowed in by our back door meaowing, or as soon as he heard me, he would come running inside.

Well anyway, I'm just struggling to understand if this is normal. If he has been so attached to his home for so long, how can he suddenly disappear from the whole area? is it normal for cats who are courting to disappear instantly, even after spending all their time in a loving, warm home with plenty of food? If he's been gone a week, and only I would feed him, how is he surviving?

I hope someone can help me understand here!

I can't help you on the un-neutered roaming part other than I remember what it was like to be a young man and you would do anything and go anywhere for a quick liason.

As to how he's surviving then that's where instincts kick in as if he's outside then he'll be catching all sorts of wildlife and scavanging for scraps as well (we humans are so messy he'll have plenty to eat).

A good thing to do would be to print off lots of copies of your poster and post it through your neighbours and the surrounding streets letter box with a message for people to check any out buildings they have as this is the time of year when people are out tending to their garden and with the weather being so cold a shed/garage etc. looks very inviting to a curious cat. One thing I did when one of my cats went missing was wander around the streets at night calling and clicking. People may think you're barmy but if Yoshi comes back who cares.

I notice he doesn't have a chip or name on his tag so try all the local animal shelters and leave your name and contact details in case anything does show up and also ring all the local vets as well.

I hope he turns up soon for you.

Hi, It can happen. I had a friend cat whose male was neuted, he too used to stay home all of the time and then one day he disapeared, only to be found three weeks later, he had been following a girl cat around and in the end the women of the girl cat got fed up with him following her cat around that she started asking around and in the end found my friend and returned the cat! Hope this helps and hope you have found your cat!

I pray for to get back your lost cat.