Cat running away from home

[Aurel]

So uh yea. Bit sore to explain this long situation after my utter emotional collapse earlier this week due to cat death but hm. I coud really use advice on this, because my mom is suffering a lot from this situation.
So we have ... eight cats right now. Chichi, a mom of 5 kittens who are 11 weeks now, Vicky, 6 month old and Pinky who was with us for almost a year now. They are all outside because I live with my miserable grandparents and parents and my dad and his parents throw a fit about even possibility of an animal inside. Took us around three years until they started to let our dog stay inside and he STILL HAS TO GO OUTSIDE AT NIGHT as an elderly dog with hurt legs. But now that the kittens have spread all around Pinkybarely spends any time home and is like, much more shy, doesnt want to even come for hug - comes to eat, eats super fast then leaves, Its weird because Vicky is her kit. Before she was still asocial but she liked spending time with us, hanging around sleeping around and even let herself be pet. Now she comes to eat and then rushes out. Today I was getting kittens inside an outer structure we have them in and she was around but she was like... playing with Vicky runnning away from us and also chased one of the kittens. She is very obviously annoyed and irritated when she hung around and she ran away from me (I was not even chasing her I was walking to the house.)
It's making us a bit depressed because this week we lost her sister Phoebe. She was sweet cat who loved to cuddle and demanded pets. Today mom outloud frustrated said she is sad that it was her who ended up being ran over. And I think, I am not sure if that is partly why Pinky is so sad, because she watched her get ran over and burried. I dont know. I understamd cats work like they work, but I wish there was a way to make Pinky OK with staying home, both to like, make mom less sad and to make me less anxious (my anxiety like tripled. The day Phoebe died I was rushing to window with almost every car to check if it killed Pinky too.)
I dont know. Its all just too much and I am not sure what to do.

 

[IndyJones]

Build an enclosure for them if they can't be indoors. You may have to trap them with a live trap if they are too skittish to pick up.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

That's probabIy the best idea for them, as they cannot be brought in. It wiII need to be a fairIy good size, with adequate sheIter.

 

[Norachan]

A Aurel Are the older cats all spayed and neutered now? Do you have appointments set up to spay the kittens soon? This will need to be done when the kittens are around 5 months old, no later than 6 months old, as they could be pregnant by then.

If you get all the cats fixed it will mean less tension within the group, less urge to roam and less chance of them getting into accidents, picking up parasites or getting infected with diseases. And, of course, a more manageable number of cats for you to care for.

I have a lot of cats. 16 currently, 15 that were born feral. They all stay inside an enclosure. Some of them come in the house but a few of them prefer to stay out side in a feral cat mansion I made for them. Some of them I can't touch at all, but they're all used to me presence and know they are safe here.

Getting all the cats fixed and keeping them enclosed is really the only way to keep outdoor cats safe. Do you have space to build an enclosure? I've got lots of tips on how to construct one fairly cheaply if you need any advice.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Any updates for us??

 

[Caspers Human]

If a cat leaves its home there is something happening that the cat doesn't like.
It is either afraid of something or there is something there that upsets the cat.

It could be a dog. Even though the old saying that cats and dogs are enemies isn't really true there can be stress. Cats and dogs can be friends but they, pretty much, have to come up together for that to happen. If they don't come up together, the introduction process has to be managed very carefully. Too many people just plunk a cat and a dog down, together, in the same house and think that they'll figure it out on their own. When that happens, the cat usually figures out that it doesn't like the dog and high-tails it out of the scene.

Also, get all the animals fixed! At least half the problems with animals arise because they aren't spayed or neutered when they should be. Hormones can cause drastic changes to an animal's behavior and getting them "snipped" often completely stops the effects that hormones would have had.

Too many animals in one place is also a stressor. If a cat has to fight for food, attention and a safe place to sleep, it won't stay around for long. Food, shelter, safety and socialization are four of a cat's top needs. If a cat doesn't get those things it will be unhappy. Unhappy cats will tend to look after their needs in other places.

Acrimonious humans are another stressor for cats. People who yell and treat cats harshly make cats feel unsafe. Like above, cats that don't feel safe will look elsewhere to find safety.

You are also right. When a cat loses one of its clan mates, they ARE affected and they DO get depressed. If a cat actually sees one of its clan get killed by a car, it is doubly worse because the cat learns that the place isn't safe and the cat thinks that it could be next. The smart cat is likely to head for the hills.

Right there, you've got five or six reasons why a cat might not want to stay home. Addressing even one of them is likely to help a cat feel safer and stay home, more.

In my opinion:
1) Get all the animals fixed.

2) Keep the dog and the cats apart as much as reasonably possible. At minimum, make sure that there is enough safe space for the cats to hide out when they feel upset by the dog.

3) Try to bring more structure to the animals living around the house. Cats that just run amok isn't good for anybody. Make sure that every cat and every dog has its own space to call its own.

4) Do what you can to make the whole place more "cat friendly." Humans should be more gentle to cats. It doesn't mean that a person who isn't fond of cats has to suddenly like them. If a person doesn't like cats it's perfectly fine to say, "I'll go over here and I won't bother you if you go over there and don't bother me." Cats will understand and will be perfectly happy to mind their own business if the human minds his own business.

5) Finally, keep the cats out of the road. If you can't bring them inside, at least make a fenced-in yard for them to stay in. At minimum, give them a place to come in at night and to stay out of the weather. If you have a garage where the cats can go, that would be good. If you don't have a garage, a simple shed would suffice.

Bottom line: Cats need food, shelter, safety and socialization, roughly in that order. Provide them those things and they'll stay around.

 

[savannahjansson]

I'm really sorry to hear about the loss of Phoebe and the challenges you're facing with Pinky and the other cats. It's understandable that the recent events have been emotionally challenging for both you and your mom. Cats can react to such situations in different ways, and it's possible that Pinky is feeling more anxious or stressed due to what she witnessed.

To help Pinky feel more comfortable at home, consider creating a safe and inviting space for her. Provide her with a cozy and quiet area with her favorite bedding and toys. Spend time with her outdoors to build trust and gradually encourage her to spend more time inside. You can also consult with a veterinarian or a feline behaviorist for additional advice tailored to Pinky's specific situation.

Remember, it might take time for her to adjust, so be patient and understanding. Supporting each other through this difficult time is crucial, and I hope things improve for you, your mom, and Pinky soon.