Run-Away Cat Advice Wanted

[Norton]

Backstory:

I have three cats. Boo is the oldest, at around 2 1/2 years. Hera and Terra are sisters roughly 14 months old. The sisters were born feral, but were rescued and lived indoors from 2 months old.

Boo hasn't been allowed outside in almost two years, which is the time I've lived with my fiance and my parents before that. I guess he remembers going outside from my old rental - when my roommates would let him out - because he always tries to get outside.

Hera went outside once last year. She bolted out the door when I opened it. When I went to get her, she ran off. Two days later, we could hear her meowing under the house. We put out food, and my fiance caught her eventually.

Terra had never been outside since living with us.

Recently:

Since he's always so desperate to get out, we decided to allow Boo out when we are at home to supervise. I bought all three cats collars with engraved tags.

Boo handled his venture very well. He explores, but doesn't stray too far from the house. After a while, he'll meow to be let in. When I am outside with him, he will come when I call, and doesn't protest if I pick him up.

The next day, we put Hera outside with Boo. Hera immediately ran and cowered in the bushes, meowing non-stop (she never meows). I was able to pick her up and bring her back inside. She acted incredibly grateful to be indoors again.

Later on, we opened the door for Terra. She stepped outside on her own. My fiance stepped out behind her. When he did, she took one look at him and ran into the neighbor's yard. When I called out to her, I could hear her yowling behind the neighbor's shed. Since she was panicked, we decided to leaver her alone for an hour and hoped she'd wander back. An hour later, she was still crying behind the shed. We went over to the neighbor's, calling Terra's name like we would in the house. She would respond each time we called. We approached her slowly, speaking calmly, but whenever one of us got within a few feet, she would panic and run. Finally, she ran out of sight. This was yesterday evening, and since then we hear no response when we call out to her. Also, the new collars have bells on them. I've kept an ear out for the jingling, but I guess she's either staying still, or she is not within hearing range.

Once we get her back, the sisters will remain indoor cats. I just don't know how to get her back... If we don't find her tonight, I will call the local shelters. She has a tag with our address and my phone number on it, but I can't imagine anyone getting close enough to her to read the tag.

My main concern is, why on Earth do the two sisters freak out when they go outside? They act like they don't recognize me or my fiance, and run terrified from us! When Hera got out last year, we had a hard time getting close to her too. My fiance had to hide and snatch her when she came out for food. At least we knew where she was. I don't even know where Terra bolted off to...

Any advice on how to get Terra back would be greatly appreciated (we have live traps, but we're more likely to catch a raccoon or a squirrel than Terra). Also, it would be great if anyone could help me understand why they panic like this.

[Crazeyal]

Just from my own experience, you are looking at conditioning vs instinct. Cats are lone predators, but adapt to pack life depending on surroundings. Seeing as they are feral, their instincts say "LARGE PREDATOR" when they see you, hence, RUN. They know you are a care provider, and this causes confusion.

Methinks you re-introduced the great outdoors a little too fast. I lost a cat because it HATED change. We moved, cat freaked out, we expected this and left her alone in the bathroom to calm down for a few days. Workman + bathroom + freak out kitty = out the front door and never seen again.

Cats aren't pack animals. They don't need the same enforcement that dogs do. They WILL be unpredictable to new situations. You can't counter this by positive energy. The cat has to calm down on it's own. If you want to introduce new things, it has to be gradual, and you'll want to keep control of the cat. Cats HATE leashes, even kittens, but kittens can become used to them.

When my former cat scampered off the first time ( few years earlier to the final escape) it hid in the bushes for DAYS. It was simply afraid of my reaction, it knew I didn't like it to go outside. Damn thing mewed pitifully for hours, but wouldn't let me come get it. Finally I simply put a small trail of food inside the house and left the door open. Slept on the couch for about six hours and the damn thing woke me up by cuddling on my throat (again!)

[BookstoreEscapee]

My boy tries to go outside. My mom used to bring him out on a leash and he would strain against it to try to explore. (They're declawed so we don't want them out on their own, since there are other cats roaming the neighborhood who will fight - my first cat was a stray who adopted us, and twice he wound up with infected scratches and had to go to the vet.) She stopped because it was just encouraging him to try to get out the door. (We actually have to keep the storm door locked because he has managed to get it to open, but not enough for him to get out.) The girl, on the other hand, is a fraidy-cat and is terrified of outside. My mom brought her out on the leash once and she just huddled next to the door meowing pitifully until we let her back in. We'll bring the boy out through the garage and into the screenhouse in the summer so he can go "outside" without being able to get loose, but she is even terrified to go out in the garage, let alone the screenhouse.

I think it's just personality differences (especially since mine are from the same litter therefore have had the same "upbringing"). Some cats like to explore and others like their familiar surroundings. Even in the house, the boy is the one who gets into everything. Other possibility (for your kitty) is that something scared her in the past (have you had her since she was a kitten?). I hope you find her soon.

[Amethyst Hunter]

What Crazyal said. Cats are notorious for being very sensitive when it comes to Big Changes (or even little ones, for that matter) and rare is the cat indeed that doesn't panic when introduced to something drastically different than what kitty is used to.

I hope you get her back asap! :( (Be sure to check in with local shelters and give them a picture of her so they can keep an eye out)

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

My cat is an outdoor cat, as are most cats in the neighborhood. He's never been gone more than 36 hours, and that only once.

But then he was born in this house, and allowed outside since he could walk (for a little bit at first; now he spends most of his time outside, though usually in our backyard).

Its' possible the collar came off, or that she worked it off. We went through 3 collars that way before giving up. Keep the traps out. Cats can't catch as much food as humans give them for free. She'll probably get hungry enough to trigger one eventually.

[Reyneth]

I'd put out her normal food by your door. Don't leave it out too long if you have raccoons or strays in the area. Maybe the familiar smells will bring her back where she remembers and calm her down a little?