# Cat decided it likes my motorhome



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I was coming back from the pub tuesday night (wed morn actually) and a cat followed me the last mile home. It sat outside the van meowing so I opened the door and it came in and made itself comfortable. I gave it a tin of salmon pate as I had no cat food. Anyway 2 days on it is still with me and I am concerned that there may be a child missing it's beautiful pet.

I have put posters up around the area where it started to follow me, but not sure what else I should do. If a pet goes missing do people normally contact the police? Is there anything else I can do?

I don't mind keeping the cat if its proper owners can't be found but would rather not deprive a family of its pet...

It is a beautiful creature half cross siamese I think judging by her big blue eyes. She is in excellent condition, of the right weight and doesn't have flees or any injuries so is obviously well looked after.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Karl


----------



## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

You could try your local newspaper - it is the sort of story they sometimes like to run. Try emailing them a brief story (maybe just what you have posted) and above all a photo  
Patrick


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I am avoiding doing photo's. It is possible someone may claim it that is not is true owner. When they phone me it my way of knowing....
There are some nasty cruel people out there and I am concerned she goes to her proper home.

Karl


----------



## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Cats tend to go where they are fed. That was your first mistake Karl  

You could try asking neighbours and check the local post office or shop window to see if anyone is missing their pet. If not contact the local police and the local RSPCA to see if anyone has reported a missing pet.

Failing that realise you've been chosen as this cats pet. Good luck!

:lol:


----------



## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

So why not take it back to where it started to follow you and just leave it


----------



## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Hi,
If you contact the RSPCA they can scan the cat to see if it has an identichip,
Regards,
Chris.


----------



## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

I remember once we arrived at a site with our caravan after a long journey and as we were building the awning my cat sauntered by....

....the only thing was I was sure we had left her at home with my brother in law.

After extensive examination of said cat we came to the conclusion that it wasn't our girl, but a nigh on identical doppelganger cat who had dropped by to say hello.

However I was only totally convinced it wasn't her after I had phoned brother in law who confirmed our cat was indeed still at home.

How strange was that!


----------



## Tobysmumndad (Nov 12, 2007)

chrisjrv is absolutely correct. Get it scannned for a microchip in the first instance. Then check the local vets to see if it's been posted as missing.

We were once adopted by a beautiful affectionate cat. Eventually, someone saw it sitting on our doorstep and claimed it. It turned out that there was a boisterous new labrador puppy to contend with, in addition to young children. All puss wanted was a warm lap and a bit of peace and quiet!
:roll:


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I did think about just dropping it off where it found me, but it was sat on the footpath meowing so I wondered if it was lost already. Also that road is very busy and I would be concerned about leaving it there. I have put poster up in all the shops on that street and on lamp posts.

I will contact the local vet, police and rspca tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Karl


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Cats don't get lost. They just fool people into thinking they get lost. I would take it back to where it fooled you, and stop feeding it. It'll go home.

Dougie.


----------



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

The first place most cat owners phone is all the local vets. If a cat doesn't come home the first thing you think is that it has met with an accident. They will also scan the cat for a microchip. We used to keep a book with details of lost and found. Caring owners will also put "lost" posters up around the area.

One worry with a friendly cat is that it has hitched a lift in car or van and is well away from its own territory. I think there is a national website for missing pets.

Don't rule out that it has been dumped


----------



## annetony (May 1, 2005)

We had one turn up in our garage, that was a lovely cat jet black with gorgeous ellow eyes, we dont know where it came from and it wouldnt leave.

Did all the usual things contacted the vets, cat protection advertised and no one claimed it, its now living at my Daughters with her other rescue cat and 2 Charlies, and has been ther nearly 2 months now

I would have kept it but my cat didn't like it, she is a fusspot, I think with cats they chose where they want to be and not the other way round :lol: :lol: 

I will be surprised if anyone comes forward if it turns out not to be chipped

Anne


----------



## rraf (Jul 11, 2009)

I would sit tight and wait for someone to claim her.Like you said,don't place adverts with photographs or she could go to the wrong person.As the saying goes,you cannot keep a cat if it chooses to live somewhere else.Perhaps circumstances changed his/her mind-new baby,a dog,not enough attention.
I have always had "turn ups".Currently,I have 4 cats.One of our oldies turned up about 10 years ago.I knew where he was from and I didn't encourage him but he chose to live with me.Found out it was because he pee'd in the house and they used to kick him out.I can tolerate anything so he he lived with us until he died last May at the grand old age of 21.Another,followed me home from the shop one day.I stopped to say Hello and he started hanging round.He wore a collar with his name and address on it,so I knew he belonged to someone.He eventually spent most of his time with me and my other cats.Not long after,I found out he lived in married quarters and his "owners" had been posted and just left him!You just never know the circumstances,so don't abandon this cat just yet.


----------



## Spwt (Jun 27, 2007)

Have you tried contacting your local Cat's Protection group?

They should be in the phone book. 
My wife volunteers for a similar charity and they tend to get informed about local strays and disappearances etc


----------



## Gixer-Mark (Nov 6, 2007)

Tell me where you are staying. I'll bring my Black Lab with me, she'll soon sort the cat out and send him/her home so problem solved ! LOL !


Only joking folks ......... she tends to be 'bullied' by cats so probably be a wasted journey. Just second all the good advice given already and hope you have a successful conclusion ............ stop feeding it and it will go home, I can assure you!


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

5 phone calls from people in the immediate area with missing cats and not one of their descriptions matched 

I am moving on tuesday to a new area and it will be interesting to see how the cat responds to it's new house moving. I have a friend in the local paper who is going to place an advert for me and I will call the local vet tomorrow.

If I get no response from the advert by the end of the month then I will have to assume I have a permanent house guest....

I will need to find out how she copes with traveling and if she is ok with it I will then have to find out about european travel for cats.... Currently she is asleep on my knee and I need to wake her up so I can go to bed 

NN all.


----------



## rraf (Jul 11, 2009)

Great news that you're not just going to abandon your new found friend.If she can travel then you'll make a great partnership I'm sure.How are you going to test her traveling capabilites?I have had various cats that were fine with traveling as long as they could move about and see where they were going.With your full timing circumstances,if you are going to keep her,perhaps consider having her chipped.We met a couple of full timers in the Lakes once-IT jobs like you and they had two cats on board with them-no problems at all,but they did say they were chipped.
Good luck and let us know how you get on and why haven't you mentioned HER in your blog yet?!!!


----------



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Don't forget that it takes six months minimum to get through the Pet Passport system. It all starts with a microchip and the rabies vaccination. 
You can leave the country after about a month (assuming a clear blood test) but cannot return until six months has passed from that clear blood test.
All those missing cats  Still one has found its feet by the sound of it :lol:


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I was going to visit my sisters but thats off the cards now. I will find a nearby CL to go to for a night I think. The cat will travel on the passenger seat as that is what she will have to get used to if she want to live with me full time. If she doesn't like it I will stop and try again. If after a bit she is not going to suite I will turn around and come back here again and start looking for a decent home for her. I hope she does take to it ok.

Karl


----------



## catzontour (Mar 28, 2007)

Hi Karl

Beware - dogs have owners, cats have staff :lol: 

If you end up keeping the cat, I would recommend chipping. Our cat travelled with us full time for three years, sitting on her bed on the big wide dashboard at the front so she could see out. I think people used to presume she was a cuddly toy and it used to shock them at traffic lights when she suddenly stood up, stretched and yawned!

We had her chipped and she had all the rabies jabs etc. so we could come and go as we pleased. Our main fear at first was that she would wander off and not return but whatever she did and wherever she went during the day, she always returned at tea time. She has always stayed in at night anyway so she just carried on with that routine when we were travelling.

Good luck with your search for the owner/good luck if you end up keeping the cat.

Catz


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

Well, I am down at my sisters and the cat travels really really well. Seems to like exploring new places. She has been out of the van at 4 locations now and comes running as soon as I call her.

Thats the good news, the bad news is I lose her in another 2 days 

I posted some pictures up on facebook and one of my friends recognised "him" as being his next door neighbours cat. I was them bombarded with phone calls, texts and messages via facebook from the owner as she is keen to get her back.

I only joined facebook about 7 weeks ago and already it has reunited me with all my friends from school at the reunion after having not seen them for 22 years. And now it has reunited a cat with it's owner.

I am making the most of my last few days with the cat I have become rather attached to.

What has suprised me most is how settled it was with its new home and how at ease with travelling it was.

Karl


----------



## rraf (Jul 11, 2009)

Karl,I was really thrilled when I read that the cat travelled well with you,but reading further on feel really sad you are going to lose her/him now.I know she/he should be back with her/his rightful owners but what a shame for you as you both seemed to make great company for each other.I guess you've become very fond of /himher by now.It's such a shame.  

Lynne


----------



## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Cats, eh.

Our family had a big friendly ginger tomcat who could not resist getting into tradesmens' vans. We regularly saw them return to our house to offload the stowaway cat. Very annoying for them, I expect. He always seemed midly miffed to be returned. Some gypsy ancestry, perhaps?

Friends of ours had an old moggy called Gus. Lovely placid cat - no trouble at all. At least, they thought Gus was "their" cat. So did about 5 other families in the same street. Cunning old Gus had adopted all these families and would wander into whichever house had the tastiest food and warmest, softest place to nap. Still, it solved their holiday pet care problem.


SD


----------



## BJT (Oct 31, 2008)

Aah ,yes! As mentioned many times before, dogs have masters, cats have staff!
If they don't like the food or service on offer they go looking elsewhere. Our two are often out all day, but the past two weeks in all the time and constantly demanding more food. Bet the other 'owners' are away on holiday!
Incidentally, has anyone else had the odd experience of waking up and unable to focus on the apparition immediately before your eyes. Then waking up properly and realising it is the cat with its nose about 2inches from yours; but you are looking at it rotated through 90deg as you are lying on your side?? :lol:


----------



## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

> Incidentally, has anyone else had the odd experience of waking up and unable to focus on the apparition immediately before your eyes. Then waking up properly and realising it is the cat with its nose about 2inches from yours; but you are looking at it rotated through 90deg as you are lying on your side?? Laughing


Yes, most mornings infact :evil: :evil: :evil: 
Often the "apparition" is the right way up as I am lying on my back with it sat on my chest :roll: :roll: :roll:

Trevor


----------



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

Well he has gone   

He didn't seem too thrilled to be going and kept jumping up to me. I didn't want his last memory of me to be forcing him into a cat box. I ended up having to do it anyway...

Shall miss the little fella...

Karl


----------



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi Karl

Sort of sorry to hear this, although it's only right that it goes back to its proper owner.

You could always get another one from the cat rescue place :wink:



BJT said:


> Our two are often out all day, but the past two weeks in all the time and constantly demanding more food. Bet the other 'owners' are away on holiday!


When we returned from the Global, the boy of our two moaned and moaned (and continues to do so). It seems our neighbours (two elderly sisters) have gone to cat sit somewhere else. I'll bet Buddy has got used to feasting on chicken and turkey while we were away.

Gerald


----------



## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Thats a shame for you Karl. Its always hard giving up an animal you have grown attached to. 

Get your self down to the local cat rescue centre and ask for a cat who likes travelling  


Trevor


----------



## ladyrunner (Feb 2, 2008)

Hi Karl,

What a lovely story it was reading through this thread, but I'm very sorry for you that the cat has been returned to it's owner.

I have a half siemese fella who loves my motorhome and hates me taking the van away on holiday. When we are away he only comes home for food once a day then leaves the house and must sleep in somebody else's home. He is always in the van outside my house or meowing to get in the van. 

The other day he really didn't want to get out of the van when I was heading out in it. The engine was running, the habitation door was wide open and he didn't move off the cab bed as I started driving away, but I wasn't brave enough to let him come, but maybe one day I will try taking him on a weekend cat holiday to see how he copes.

There was a couple at the Global with their cat and they had a tracking device attached to the cat's collar so that they could trace the cat with 100m if they lost it.

I think that you would make a cat at the protection a great owner.

Julie


----------



## BJT (Oct 31, 2008)

1/ Phone your local cats protection league re-homer and enquire about unwanted/strays.
2/ Go to rehoming unit in your MH and offer said moggies to the open MH door one by one until you find one that likes the MH!
3/ Be aware some breeds/types are more adventurous than others, and some are very timid.
4/ Remember you will not choose the cat, the cat will choose you. 
5/ Go to pet shop and buy all the cat toys you see, all of which will be disdainfully ignored. buy scratching post and litter tray, which it will use (hopefully) or your MH will soon show the scars.
6/ Find somewhere new to sit and sleep in 'van, as your new pet will select those places for itself. 
In other words - get yourself someone new to boss you around!!


----------



## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

They also get deposited a long way away from home by getting into cars and car engines then they are lost far from home, so checking for microchip would be a good thing to do, hope you get a happy outcome.

Lynne.


----------

