Missing Male cat

Question



Mello-Yello is about 8 or 9 months old, very smart, not neutered and an indoor/outdoor fellow.  Somebody dumped him in the edge of our yard when he was just a baby kitten.  He was nothing but bones and fleas.  We weaned and nurtured him back to good health.  He eats inside with our two dogs (Mindy, a sheltie, that is 11 and Stubs, a puppy somebody dropped off at our house the day after we found Mello-Yello.  Stubs is now about 13 to 14 months old).  Stubs and Mello-Yello are great pals, play together, sleep together, etc.  Both of them are also great friends with a female stray cat we feed in the edge of our yard.  Also, a male yellow cat and coons eat from the same bowl in the yard as does the stray female.  Mello-Yello and the stray yellow male cat have had some differences.  In the beginning, the yellow stray was the aggressor but this changed and Mello-Yello turned the tables.  Anyway, I let Mello-Yello out around 4 am Tuesday morning (he usually returns in around an hour or sooner if cold and raining).  He has not returned since and the yellow male stray is also gone.  We live on 3 acres with neighbors on one side and woods on the other.  I never saw Mello-Yello go toward the neighbors, he stayed on the backside of the house and wandered in the edge of the woods next to us (where the stray cats and coons stay).  When he first did not returned, my husband and I both felt like we would never see him again since he was around constantly and never seemed to wander out of ear shot.  I would like to think that he and the yellow male stray are visiting a female and he will return.  It has now been about 60 hours and it rained heavily from around midnight last night until the last couple of hours.  
Do you think he will return?

On the other side of the woods is a road.  We have checked the roadsides and no sign of either the stray or Mello-Yello.
-----Answer-----
Hi Bettie and thank you for caring enough to write!  Yes, I think this time of year they both (yours and the yellow stray) may be "tomming" around : -)  To help him remember where his home is, I would move at least one food and water dish to the edge of these woods.  Also put the food and nuts for the racoons in the woods away from the cat food.

Do you have a small "pup" type tent you could set up to cover the food and water in that area (for the cats, not the racoons : -)

After the rain stops, get a big bowl of fresh food and water near the edge, then around 3-5 pm, walk out into the woods and look for paw prints to suggest they may have come to eat.  If you can see this from a window (and have time) you can also watch.

It's pretty dangerous to have both those males not neutered.  They are more at risk than any male for fights which leads to diseases - a scratch or bite could give them feline aids even.  

I pray you will see your Mello-Yello now that your rain has stopped.  But, it is females unspayed in heat and it may be a few days.  PLEASE keep me posted ok?

Thank you,
Deb

Deb, thank you for your reply.  Mello-Yello has RETURNED but he only eats, plays with Stubs 5 minutes and leaves again.  We have talked to our vet and we will carry him Monday.  It has always been our intention to have him neutered.  Time flies at our age and Mello-Yello changed over night.  He now sprays his way down the edge of the woods and enters the woods about 400 feet down.  Before he disappeared, he never sprayed.  He smells like cat tinkle all over and other than the smell, he is just fine, no damage (scratches, cuts, etc).  We have taken in several female stray cats (we had them fixed, hence never any kittens) but males never took up permanent residence.    So, this is our first experience with a male and never expected him to make such a sudden overnight change.  He turned out to be such a beautiful cat, bicolored (brillant white and an almost gold color), gold (not yellow) eyes, with semi-to long hair.  He is a very loving, well mannered, smart fellow.  We are so happy, just regret we did not have him neutered sooner.

It is amazing how much comfort just being able to write  or more or less have someone "listen" when so stressed out and lost over a missing loved one.  THANK YOU AGAIN!  Bettie  

Answer
Bettie!!! I am thrilled to hear of his return!  Yes, after "mating" they may have learned to spray (ugh and pheww). Make sure you lock him in Sunday night and follow the Vets directions on picking up the water and food, usually around midnight.

Awww he does sound so beautiful!  Thank you for taking such good care of all the kitties, and (((((((Hugs)))))) to you AND Mello-Yello!

God Bless you for helping the animals.

Deb