Charley went missing just under a year ago...searched everywhere, did leaflet drops etc, many sightings but no one could get him. We now have two females, both spayed. I thought I saw Charley last week, just a fleeting glance so wasn't sure. Then yesterday dh clearing out his works van, I was out there too and along comes Charley following one of my females :) I was patient, sat down near them as they laid together under a car then watched them following each other about. He did at one point lay in front of me, but I was worried about scaring him. He came back AGAIN about an hour later..went to follow our female into the house then she turned round and went back out !! So he sat on our front garden for ages...when I called him he would look at me but didn't make any attempt to come up to me or dh (he was Charleys fav :) ) I took lots of photos have compared them to when he was younger and the markings are exactly the same.
What do I do now?? I am eagerly waiting for him to pop up again hopefully should I attempt to approach him? Should I put his old bed out for him?? Any ideas?
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The litter tray
Missing cat has returned but ....
topknob · 22/04/2012 12:46
Do you think he has a new home? Does he seem hungry?
You must have been 
to see him. You may have 3 cats now.
feed him. leave a dish of tasty food out when you have seen him. tap the tin of food with a fork and let him eat at your back/front foor. hopefully it will kepp him coming back and eventually he will come inside and hopefully stay. although do remember that cats chose where they live and he might just prefer to go from your house to another and back again. really great that he came back though after a year. clever cat! 
good idea about the bed. it doesn't matter why he is back, just that he is. it would do no harm to get a hold of him and deflea/worm etc. also, i would whisk him to the vet and get the works done, neutered, vaccs and microchipped. and then put a nice collar with his address on
Oooh so near and yet so far, but progress. 
I don't think it will be too long before you will get him.
Some cats are wanderers, unfortunately for us!
The first, second, third time my cat did what yours has done I was in bits, walking round the streets banging a tin of tuna calling him in. He is 8 now and has never spent more than a month at home at any one time [he generally moves out for the summer, and this winter was gone too as it was so mild].
I've reported him missing umpteen times, now I just accept he is the littlest hobo of the cat world and give him lots of love when he does come home as well as grounding him for 2 weeks to remind him this is home 
. Luckily he always is home around booster jab time of year . He does the same thing quite often as your is doing, coming close but not quite in the house, although when we have friends staying on the sofa they report he often comes in late at night to eat
We've moved house once and it didn't take him long to do the same thing here so it's not a particular house he's going to. His brother is the complete opposite, practically have to boot him out of the cat flap!
I've spoken to a couple of vets about it, as he is already neutered there's not much else to do really, you cat may have a similar outdoors-y nature, it's hard coming to terms with a part-time cat, I hope your Charley stays home x
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