How many lives to cats actually get?

[Atman]

I'm not sure how many lives Cato has got left. Given up for dead a second time after disappearing for six weeks -- again, last time was winter of 16 when he disappeared in sub-zero weather for six weeks -- the neighbors told us there was a cat crying in their basement. Maybe it was ours. Cato apparently climbed in through a vent opening in their foundation crawl space. They had blocked up the opening because they thought critters were getting into the basement. Yep. Cato. Now he's back home again, the size of a kitten. I guess there weren't many mice to eat in the neighbor's basement. This is the Phoenix Cat. I'm not sure I'm ever letting him outside again.

[redwitch]

1. Poor Kitty!

Perhaps put a GPS unit on his collar. If you can get him to wear one!

[Atman]

2. He is a rescue. Feral cat found in a shed behind our house.

We have him and two sisters. None of them will tolerate a collar.

[redwitch]

3. Yeah they don't take to collars.

Ferals does what ferals does.

[Warpy]

4. Never letting him outside is good.

Just put something he can sit on in front of a window so he can chirp back at the birds and he'll be a happy kitty.

I know because I've had outdoor cats I've had to keep indoors.

That doesn't mean he'll never go out again. Cats are geniuses at slipping out unnoticed and going walkabout, terrifying their people for days. My old tomcat did this and I was sure he'd been stolen (gorgeous Himalayan cat) but he came back several days later, reeking of unwashed dog and giving me a "where the hell have YOU been?" glare. Not only did he thrive in near zero nights, he apparently found a willing canine bunkie to keep him warm.

Cats. It's a good thing we love them.

[lunatica]

5. Maybe you can leave a crawlspace for him to get back in to your house

And a little door for him to push through into the house.