Every Year, Thousands of Family Cats Don’t Come Home
What 5 Simple Steps Can You Take To
Guarantee Your Kitty Comes Home Every Night?
From: Jeffrey Harris
Unapologetic Lover of All Things Kitty
Dear Concerned New Cat Owner:
My name is Jeff Harris and I have something to share with you:
I used to lose sleep worrying our beloved cat wouldn’t come home – like literally lie awake in bed at night stressing over the worst case scenarios:
Is she alright? I think I saw some raccoons in the neighbourhood a few weeks back…
What if she’s wandered far from home and is now lost somewhere, scared and alone? How will I find her?
The road out front can get pretty busy at times. What if something terrible has happened?
When we first got her, considering how we’d get Sandy inside wasn’t top of mind. Like most new cat owners, I think we just kinda’ assumed cats knew instinctively how to do these sorts of things. We thought coming home for dinner was as natural for a cat as using a litter box or scratching the bejesus out of a once fine piece of furniture!
In those very early days, the thought of Sandy not coming back didn’t even cross our minds.
We quickly learnt though that getting Sandy to come home before sundown wasn’t always simple.
In fact, getting our cat to stay close and come home became an incredibly stressful chore…
Here’s a brief synopsis of “Life With Sandy” in those early days:
Every night at around six o’clock, we’d call her in for dinner (She’s always eaten at the same as the rest of us!). Now sometimes she’d come running to the front door. Other times she’d already be waiting just outside the door – ready to slip in as soon we opened it.
On the occasions she wasn’t there, we had a couple of tricks that helped persuade the little bugger it was “home time” now.
We always sent her out hungry, for example. The thought being that a hungry cat is more likely to come than one that’s already fat and happy. So extending this logic a little bit, we found crinkling her tin can of wet food sometimes resulted in an eager to eat Sandy running for home.
A couple weeks after we got her, not even the promise of wet food could get our cat indoors though.
This was brutal on me. It wasn’t that she didn’t come in at that moment that bothered me. It was the thought that she might not be in before dark.
We’d be sitting there, eating dinner as a family and Sandy’s whereabouts would be nagging at me. I’d often get up in the middle of dinner and go check to see if she had heard my earlier call and was now waiting at the door.
Then it would start to get dark and she still wasn’t home.
I worried that she wouldn’t come home before we went off to bed.
I worried about her spending the night outside in the cold and knew that I’d be up half the night thinking about whether or not she’d come home safe.
My mind raced with thoughts I knew would keep me from falling asleep later than night.
How will I tell our kids that the cat is gone? Will we have to make up a set of those “Lost Cat” posters you see around town and staple them to telephone poles in our neighbourhood?
Unfortunately as the weeks went on, this problem got worse. The speed with which she became more confident was incredible. It felt like every night she pushed the envelope a bit further, electing to stay out all night despite our repeated efforts to get her in.
She also started wandering further from home. I know this because I saw her one night. Coming home from the grocery store one evening around 9:00pm, Sandy’s eyes flickered in my headlights. She was blocks from where we live!
The nerve of this cat! What the hell is she doing way over here?! I mean, she’s smart but not that smart! What if I was going a bit faster and she happened to be on the road instead on someone’s front lawn?
It was around this time that I decided enough was enough.
If we don’t do something about this, she’s going to get herself lost or hurt.
Or worse.
I had to find a way to keep Sandy close to home and come in when we wanted her to. It had been only weeks since we first let her out but I had to nip this in the bud. For Sandy’s sake, and for mine!
Now before I tell you a bit about how we ultimately handled this issue, I think a little aside is worthy of some time.
Worrying about your cat’s safety and well-being isn’t uncommon at all. I like to bring this up because some folks think they’re being silly – losing sleep over a cat’s whereabouts. Quite the opposite is true in fact. It’s completely understandable. I’d argue that it also demonstrates a personal level of compassion and responsibility that is to be commended – something to be proud of even.
You deeply care for (even love!) your new pet. You want to do what’s right for her and you don’t want your family to suffer a heartbreaking loss. The thought of your pet going outside one day and not returning is terrifying. You may even lose sleep like I did thinking about how you’d handle it if she didn’t come home for dinner one night..
So do me a favor – Feel good about parking this idea that you’re needlessly worrying about the new furry member of our family.
Even though it may be true that most cats come home safely every night, it’s also true that thousands of them don’t.
If, for the price of a Tall fancy Mocha or Chai Tea Latte, you could help ensure the safety of your cat and the happiness of your family, would you be interested?
If you knew of a few simple things you could start doing right now that would help ensure your cat’s safety, would you want to know more?
We figured this out and now life with Sandy is wonderful and free of stress!
One of the many beautifully simple things I now enjoy is watching our cat lounge outside from inside the living room. We have this bay window with a bench in front of it that Sandy spends a great deal of her “inside” time hanging out on. The window looks onto our red brick patio and a small patch of grass. We have a flowering tree with a bird feeder hanging from it as well as a few rhododendrons. Now that Sandy is a well trained responsible young lady, she spends a ton of time just lounging on the pavers in the sun. She also seems to enjoy eating the grass – an activity we try and limit due to the fact that if she eats too much of it, it tends to come up later in the day (inevitably when she’s back inside).
The view from our living room has always been great. The fact that Sandy has been added to the scene makes it even more special!
Sandy’s current routine see her head out in the morning for a bit of patio time. I now have the pleasure of watching our kids pat her on the head as they rush off to school at around quarter to nine.
But the biggest benefit of all of this for me is peace of mind. I no longer worry about Sandy.
During the day, I’m able to focus better. My work and home lives are less stressful than they’ve ever been. There is no longer the nagging distraction in the back of my head asking, “Where is Sandy right now?”. I think my partner and kids would tell you that I’m easier to get along with now and smile more often.
At night, I sleep So much better. I no longer lie awake thinking of the worst case scenarios.
I know that silly cat is inside and I know she’ll stay close to home when I let her out tomorrow morning!
So how did we get this place?
Well it took a bit of work to find the solution but the reward was magnificent.
I want to share my method with you.
In this report for new cat owners you’ll benefit greatly from learning the following:
- How to avoid the one critical mistake that new cat owners make when first introducing their pet to the outdoors.
- Five simple actions you can take right now to ensure your cat doesn’t stray far from home.
- What really matters to your cat and how you can use this info to control the clever little guy!
- How to make your yard absolutely irresistible to your cat so she’ll never even think about leaving.
- A proven step by step system that will result in your cat coming home every night.
- A crash course in cat psychology. Get inside your pet’s head and see the world from their view. Learn how you can harness this new perspective to keep kitty safe.
- The five unique types of cat personalities and how to determine which one your cat possesses.
- How to tailor your actions and systems based on the wonderful uniqueness of your cat.
- Learn how to subtly influence your pet’s behaviour and have fun doing it.
My goal with this is to show you how to enjoy a more peaceful existence with your cat.
If you implement only a fraction of the tactics outlined in this book, you’ll find your cat’s behaviour changing in ways you might not expect or believe right now. And if you follow the system laid out in these pages, you’re in for an experience that borders on life changing.
I’m confident that this report will result in profound changes, but I also understand the request for a robust, money-back guarantee.
So here it is.
Read the book. Take a full 60 days to start implementing some of the tactics covered in the report. I’m not asking you to quit your job and spend all waking hours on this thing. Just practice with your cat for 10-15 minutes a day for a couple months. If you don’t see significant improvement in your cat’s behaviour, I’ll give you a 100% refund, no questions asked.
You can get the complete course today, for just $9. If even a single method outlined in this report results in a less stressful life for you and your pet, this is worth many times that.
No PS’s.
No bonuses of highly questionable value.
No fancy graphic covers or ridiculous promises.
Just time-tested techniques to keep your cat safe, your family happy and your sleeps deep!
Enjoy!
Cynthia says
Ty for this post. I’ve been reading some other ones, and this one was the most helpful to me. We kept our precious cat Buddha where he could run inside and outside through the cat flap/doggy door, (we also have a westie and a great pyrenees) and he was a wonderful cat that stayed nearby for 6 yrs. One night there was a hurricane (Ida) 5 hours from here, and the storm that night, well.. .never saw him again. So challenging to endure.
So, when we got a new kitten- Boddhee, we kept him in the house for 7 monthes. He was very jealous of Rubee (the westie) that could go in and out and he couldn’t. He was not good about going potty in his box sometimes, and was not leaving the carpet and padding alone AT ALL where the doggy door was. So we relented and took him outside and I walked the perimeter with him and have done my best to keep him trained to stay in the yard and leave other critters alone. He tests me to check his boundaries and just now he went into the bushes where he knew he wasn’t supposed to, off of the property. He usually minds, but this time he wouldn’t. This is one reason why my hub and I don’t have human children after 32 years together. I care way too much, way too much. You’re site is very comforting, and it is nice to tell someone who seems to be understanding about it all. Fortunately, we live on a dead end street at the end, surrounded mostly by woods. Just past them, there are houses and a busy street, so it provides kind of a good barrier or ‘moat’ to our yard.
I’m kind of at a loss of what to do now. He has officially not minded and is/was out of the yard. I’m not sure how to disapline him about this? The other times he did it, he came running back in and running up to me,like- you still love me mommy right? He has been doing it more and more lately and finally didn’t come back this time. I don’t know if I should give him the cold shoulder for awhile or what. If one gives them the cold shoulder for longer than they should, he might not be the same lovey cat he was. I guess I’ll just see if I can wing it.
Thank you for your post and comment area so I could share and get it out of my system anyway. God, what parents must go through!
Luvuso, c
admin says
Thanks for stopping by Cynthia! Your story is one that many cat owners can most definitely relate to.
It’s incredible how attached we can get to our pets. I hear what you’re saying about kids as well… I can’t even begin to imagine!
Here’s hoping that everything works out with your kitties… Good luck!
Tony says
Hi there. Today I watched my wonderful loving friendly cat get hit by a car and die right in front of me out on the busy street in front of my house. I’ve given them stern repettative vocal commands to “get off the road” whenever they wondered out there. I’ve also physically chased after them directing their escape back to my side of the street while again saying “get off the road”. I’ve also taken them out on the road in my arms, pointed them back to my house and give them a few swats while saying again “get off the road”.
Today was a crappy day and my other cat also is crossing. Without lecturing to me about swatting my cats to try to get them to not get killed like one did today, perhaps someone has a proper solution that actually works. I sure would appreciate a constructive solution.
Thanks in advance.
admin says
Hey Tony,
Terribly sorry to hear about your lose. Cats are funny and surprisingly unique little characters. A training technique that works for one won’t necessarily work for another. In my experience though, cats don’t respond particularly well to vocal commands. Try getting a spray bottle filled with water and giving your kitty a little squirt when he starts wandering towards the road. This could potentially help him associate road with danger. Note that the age of your cat could also be playing a role here. Older cats tend to be more mature and road savvy than younger kittens.
Good luck Tony. Thanks for stopping by!
JodiLane says
We moved our six year old cat into a home with two other cats. The oldest cat picked on
her and she has been hesitant to come home. She will come in late a night when I call
her and she eats takes some petting and then leaves. I finally sent the older cat to
live with a sister but my girl still won’t stay home. Our daughter is home with her 3
very young babies and there is crying but I want my cat to come home. The weather is
getting bad and she was always home at night but ventured during the day but always
came home to sleep. Any ideas? We miss her and worry about her being out all night in
the weather.
admin says
JodiLane,
Why can’t cats just get along?!?! I feel your pain. Check out this article on introducing cats before you do anything else – It’s a fantastic read. Note that it doesn’t matter if your cats already “know” each other. Animals live in the present – They don’t hold grudges like us humans! The techniques outlined in this article will work regardless of the fact that your cats aren’t actually meeting for the first time.
If this doesn’t work, I’d seriously consider converting your outdoor cat into an indoor one – at least until next spring. It’s not worth losing sleep over the fact that your cat’s out in the cold, fending for herself. She’ll get used to the sounds of crying children too. Don’t worry about that…
Good luck!
mazey says
Im getting a new kitten and i live in the city but i have a okay sized yard. I dont want my new kitten to come inside at all because the last 2 cats i had had i bathroom problume,so i dont want it inside at all.But there are dogs that live next to me and i dont want my kitten to go over there,and i have a busy rode in the front yard.Would i be able to keep my cat in a certain area?
Dylan says
I was wondering if we can try to keep our cats in our yard only as we have stupid old annoying wingeing neighbours that have written a letter to us complaining about our cats in their yard. would suggesting they just hose the cats each time they enter the property stop them from going back?
Trinia says
If you let your cat run loose, don’t whine when it gets killed! It’s YOUR fault for putting it in danger. For shame!
Ram says
I am a little weirrod about my cat because she is very tiny and skinny for a 2 year old cat, she only eats dry food, cat milk, some cat treats like dreamies and she likes to eat my new kitten’s dry kitten food.I have taken her to a vets earlier this year and he said that she is health, has a good coat etc.I’m just wondering is it ok or safe for a tiny cat to be pregnant?Any tips, advice or information I will be very grateful for.
Tim says
hi my cat just got hit by a car and i am really sad, but my girlfriend said i can have one of her cats, but it has to be an outside cat. my first one followed me home and stayed. i live 9 houses away. and now that im trying to take another one. it keeps trying to leave and im not even sure if it knows the way back. what do i do.
note it has to be outside my dad wont let me take it inside.
Omkar says
Hi. Yes, your cat may well put on a bit of weight just after spniayg but that should settle down after a few months.You do not say whether your cats are indoor cats or do they go outdoors as well. During the winter the outdoor cats put on weight whilst they laze about in the warm house but once they start spending more time outdoors again, they lose the excess’ weight they have gained. We find that the indoor cats do not have such a great winter weight fluctuation as the cats which go outdoors as well. Personally, I’ve never found a satisfactory way of separating cats feeding to ease one cat having a special diet but if you can, good for you.Cats should always have a mix of wet and dry foods and not just one or the other. When using dry food in addition to wet food, the cat will need less of the wet food than if you just gave them wet food alone. This will help them to maintain their nutritional balance. Also, when putting out dry food, remember to ensure that the cat has a good supply of liquid as well. For dry food our cats all seem to like Iams and their coats seem to be more healthy but it is not cheap. Our cats also like Vitacat Healthy Balance(I believe this is an Aldi own brand) which is much more budget friendly and still keeps them very obviously healthy. For my current cats, these are the two dry foods I try to ensure are in the house at all times as they suit them best. However, the cats will also tolerate short spells on Go-Cat, which has a good variety of flavours to keep them interested, and Whiskas dry food but consistently turn up their noses at Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda dry foods. Over the years, and new cats, I’ve tried most brands and own labels but find that it is a trial and error exercise to find what suits the animals bestHope you find what your girls prefer and the youngest cat’s weight settles soon.(Edited to add the essential reminder to ensure that liquid is available if dry food is used in addition to wet food.)
Ms. Morgan says
Geez, Tony, the same thing came so close ,to happening to me this evening! I almost lost my little “Theodore” I FELT SO ,POWERLESS!!!!!!Watching him run out on a ,semi busy st. I could see the headlights of the oncoming car. I had no idea that he was going to that dangerous street. I too live on a dead end st. .So, the major one ,I just knew he would not try by himself!I hadn’t noticed he was where he shouldn’t have gone. That incident, has ruined our relationship, as far as me,trusting him to make the right decision his own . He isn’t even a year old yet ,I cannot let him out now. We have seen quite an array of flattened pets there. I’m doing the best I can do for him. If I had not seen him crossing when I did, well you got the picture. All I could do was scream his name ,to stop him from going any further. Then he turned, and engaged my hubby and I into
a game of tag.then we brought bad-boy inside. Im so sad for your loss. Seems like no-one can help our cats. HELP11111
Giocatore says
if you want to buy a cat from the breeder plsaee make sure that the kitten is being ( wormed , de flea , has her/his first vaccinations done) < this is what is worth to buy a kitten from a breeder. Also there is a many cats and kittens who are just for free , but when you got a kitten you must get the vaccinations, wormers from the vet which is cost not cheap to get the first vaccination shots between 50$-200$ depending how much does the vet takes for the vaccinations. Also you will need to get a food , the whiskas is good food for the kittens which cost about 5$-10$ for 12 pouches. also you will need to get a toys for a cat which can cost about 1$-10$ , and beddings which cost 10$-25$ . also the food bowls which you can find in the any shop for about 1$-5$. and the scratching post which will keep the kittens nails in good condition 10$-50$
Curtis says
Here’s an idea Mazey – a perfect place fo your cat – NOT WITH YOU! You obviously have no intention of paying attention to the cat or have a sniff of what to do for training (as per your admission of your last two cats), so do the world a favour and avoid getting something you cannot look after. Idiot.
Shonna says
Tony- I know what you mean I have done the same things but it just doesnt get thru to them! Cant find a reasonable answer that works,aside from making them indoor cats. I would like some more options! Maybe a technique or something like that..anyone have any HELPFUL ideas ASIDE from “MAKING THEM INDOOR?” please help. -S
Will says
Hi there. I live adjacent to a large section of woods and I have seen coyotes, foxes, and fisher cats in this area many times. My last cat Hendrix loved going outside, but he dissapeared one night at the age of ~3. We finally decided to get two kittens after a year or so, and we reluctantly let them go outside. They love being outside, and we make sure we don’t let them go outside on full stomachs. That really helps, but yesterday Leo got came back limping to the house. His ear and lips were kind of bloody, and the vets at the pet hospital said it was blunt trauma to the face from a car. Leo is recovering well and has an elizabethan collar (cone) and is taking medicine. He isn’t even one year old, and it is making me feel like we should keep the cats inside. To me, that is cruel. I hate seeing most animals at the zoo, and I feel like my cats shouldn’t be holed up inside either. Suggestions?
Norma says
I have 4 cats and they love to be out side. I do not want my neighbors mad at me or them getting killed. So I hung a water mister and so far so go. No dead birds so far. I have their condo under the patio and a door so that they can come in. I live in Arizona so our weather is nice most of the time and they love to lay in the sunshine. I hop this helps. Oh remember to keep a spray bottle in the house for when they do something wrong, then they will relate water as a NONO. nORMA
kittyluv says
hi i want a kitten but my parents say if i get one it has to be outside we would let it come inside but when it had to potty i wold put it on a leash(a cat leash) im to afraid that its gonna get hurt we already have another outdoor cat that is perfectly fine and has been an outdoor cat for six years and got bit by a dog once in the neck(a pit bull) and ended p being ok but im afraid my new cat wont be as tough and my parents wont let me have a litter box cuz our lat cat had one for thirteen yrs and it stunk to bad and my parents agreed to never have one again i really want this kitten but i also want it to be safe any suggestions?
Lyn Burger says
I have a very small yard, maybe 20 by 30 ft if that and I trained my cats to stay in the yard with a squirt gun. The key is diligience and you must be stern about it. They also tend to intentionally forget the boundary and as it seems with mine, try my patience, so you mus keep reminding them that you’re watching them. I’m behind all the other houses on my block with a factory as a huge boundary line with no abilty for exploration, so it’s perfect, but if I lived out front, my cats wouldn’t be going outside. There are way too many haters and inconsiderate people out there and while I believe a pet should be allowed outside, I believe it should be with supervision. If you cannot provide that, then put them in an enclosed area.
jclock says
Will,
I am dealing with many of the same issues with my cat. I have a huge yard for him to play in, but there is a horse pasture behind my house and I have occasionally seen foxes in the area. For what ever reason, he seems to prefer hanging out in the horse pasture more than our yard recently. I have climbed the fence to bring him home several times; this only seems to make him want to go in the field even more. I have done some research and plan to try a few techniques to keep him in the yard. If none of them work, I feel that I will be forced to keep him inside for his own safety, although I know he would be miserable. (I’ve tried this before, and he really won’t tolerate being indoor only.) Here are some suggestions based upon the research I’ve found: 1.)If your yard is fenced, you could try installing “cat proof fencing” around the border to prevent them from climbing it 2.)If you have no fence, you could attempt an electic invisible fence with collars that train them to avoid certain boundaries. There is a small shock associated with this when they stay near the border of the invisible fence for too long, but if it works and keeps them safe near the house it might be worth a try…
Does anyone have any additional suggestions that might be worth a try?
jason says
do you have to be mentally unwell to own a cat or is it just a coincidence that the majority commenting on this site are?
Dave says
I have a fixed 7 month old who has way too much energy to be kept indoors 24/7. I recently started letting him roam around in the backyard on supervised visits. This transformed him form a darting jumpy wild thing into a contented purring angel. I only hope he will continue to stay satisfied with te time limits put on his outside time. I’m thinking about purchasing a gps collar to monitor his movement. Hopefully, with a little time and effort I can provide my little terror an environment that is both satisfying and safe. I know there are risks involved, but living a full and satisfying life is involves risk. Pets are like your kids. If your a good parent, you do what you can to provide a safe environment for them, spend time educating them and keep a watchful eye on them to make sure they don’t get into too much trouble. I’d rather have my cat live as nature intended: chasing bees and birds and all the other creepy crawly things he hunts for in our backyard than have him become a fat lap cat whose only joy comes from snacks, sleep and an occasional scratch behind the ear from his/her overprotective parent. That’s just my opinion…
Linda says
Pets, like children, will face so many dangers in life. The first time I let my daughter walk to a friends house by herself I almost had a nervous breakdown. Kids go to school and face bullying, gangs and germs, yet we let them go. Sure we could keep them home wrapped in cotton, but what kind of a life is that? The same holds true with our pets. Do the best you can to avoid trouble, consider their nature and pray for the best.
Autumn says
Im getting a new kitty, but i dont have a fence, i have two dogs (but trapped by the electric fence) , how do i train my cat to stay AWAY from my dogs? They are large enough to kill raccoons, (pitbull and black lab)
pat says
hi will,
maybe you should make a fence outside that is a challenge to get out of so they have to figure that out first.
i also have a cat, and she is usally gone half the day and i get really worried but she always comes back.
pat says
other cats are always trying to eat my cats food, what do i do?
i don’t have time to sit around watching her eat.
Lorinda says
If you want to make sure your cats survive when they venture outside put a boundry system around your property that either sprays water at them or emits a sound like a wireless fencing for dogs. Then they will learn to not go off the property
Lorinda says
If you want to stop your cats from going off your property and getting hurt, buy a motion detector for your yards edges. There are devises that have harmless, non-toxic sprays and sounds. Each time your cat approaches the restricted area the motion detector senses his movement and releases a brisk spray of non-toxic harmless gas and a sound. The cat gets startled by the spray action and runs away. Your cat will remember this startling spray effect and will be deterred from returning to the restricted area in the yard or home.
Britt says
My and 10 month old kitten has become more and more adventurous lately. Unfortunately my husband and I went out of town for two weeks and our cat did not seem to do well with this. We’ve gotten many calls from our
neighbors that he is entering their homes. Even though he is a very sweet cat and has not done any harm, people don’t enjoy his home visits. Now that I’m home he continues to venture further than I would like and visit our neighbors inside their own houses. I’m not sure what to do besides lock him inside which makes me very sad. I also have a dog who is allowed in the backyard and have a hard time figuring out how I would keep the cat in and allow the dog to be indoor /outdoor.(especially because the cat taught himself how to use the doggy door)
Any advice?
Nancy Lee Ream says
I beg to differ about cats staying close to hone if hungry, I let my year old cat outside all night for the first time last Nay and found her dead on the road the next morning. Her sister and brother were fine the next morning,the sister was the same age and she didn’t wander.