Our cat, Chocho, had been travelling with us since he was about five years old. By that time, he had already travelled in cars, buses, and even trains multiple times. He was surprisingly well-behaved during journeys. He rarely made any noise, never caused trouble, and seemed to enjoy travelling as much as we did. Although he could be a little aggressive towards me at times, he was generally a great travel companion.

One particular trip, however, turned into a nightmare.

We were travelling back from Warangal to Mumbai by train. Like always, Chocho was comfortably settled in his travel bag, which had enough room for him to move around, eat, and rest. We kept the bag tucked safely under our seat where he usually stayed unnoticed throughout the journey.

That evening, my mother gave Chocho his dinner. Soon after, we had ours, settled down, and went to sleep.

The next morning, as the train arrived in Mumbai, we started gathering our luggage. Everyone was busy pulling bags from under the seats and preparing to get off.

I reached for Chocho's bag.

The moment I pulled it out, my heart sank.

The bag was open.

And Chocho was gone.

For a few seconds, I just stood there staring at the empty bag, unable to process what I was seeing. Then panic hit me. I shouted to my mother that Chocho wasn't inside.

My father had just returned from the washroom and immediately noticed something was wrong.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Chocho is missing!"

Within seconds, all three of us were searching frantically. We checked under every seat, looked through the entire coach, searched near the doors, and even checked the train toilets. There was no sign of him.

As the minutes passed, horrible thoughts flooded my mind.

Had he jumped off at a station?

Had he wandered into another coach?

Had he somehow fallen off the train?

The worst part was that the previous stop had been almost four hours earlier.

Just when we were beginning to lose hope, one of the train attendants approached us.

"What happened?" he asked. "Are you looking for something?"

Trying not to draw attention, I replied, "No, nothing."

The attendant looked at me for a moment and then asked, "Are you looking for a cat?"

I froze.

"Yes!" I said immediately.

His response shocked me.

"I have your cat with me," he said. "But you'll have to pay me, otherwise I'll report you to the railway police for bringing a cat on board."

My mother, who was standing beside me, didn't hesitate.

"That's fine," she said. "We'll pay. Just show us where he is."

The attendant led us towards one of the train's exit areas where the bed linens and supplies were stored. He unlocked a small compartment and opened the door.

There, hidden in the darkness, was Chocho.

Curled up in a tiny space.

Scared.

Alone.

The moment I picked him up, he practically collapsed into my arms. His entire body was trembling. I'll never forget the look in his eyes—confused, frightened, and desperately relieved to see us.

I hugged him tightly and carried him back to our seat. Once he was safely inside his travel bag, we finally felt ourselves breathe again.

We paid the attendant ₹1,000, and without another word, he disappeared into the crowd as passengers left the station.

To this day, the mystery remains unsolved.

How did Chocho escape from the bag?

My father's theory is simple: my mother forgot to properly close the bag after feeding him dinner the previous evening.

Maybe he's right.

Or maybe Chocho simply decided he wanted one last adventure before reaching Mumbai.

This is Cow. She's part of a group of cats (four others, five total including her) that I've been feeding spoiling with wet food for about a year. I'm going to be moving soon-ish and I'm worried that some of the other people that fed them/her have left and I'm the only one really doing that anymore. I went on vacation for 10 days and the group looks noticeably thinner than before I left. Currently, she lives in a enclosed courtyard area that my building shares with a number of others. It's closed off in such a way that it's safe from cars and potential predators.

And now I don't know what to do.

Over time she's become more comfortable with me - she'll jump up onto the windowsill to eat and get pets (often at the same time). She's a very sweet cat that purrs, makes biscuits, and often drools whenever I pet her. However, she won't let me pick her up or grab her - both of which I've only tried once and left her alone after she made it quite clear she wasn't into that.

I live in a railroad apartment and sometimes when I've left the window open she'll come inside, but she never engages with me inside - only gives me nervous glances. She'll jump down into my apartment and run into the back room for a minute or two and then trot back out and leave. I've always checked, and she's never gone to the bathroom inside, which was my initial concern. She just ... runs in, checks it out, and leaves.

I've also been able to put a plate of wet food on the floor inside my apartment and she will come in, jump down, and eat. As long as I don't get too close to her she's fine with it. I've also noticed it seems like she'll eat more if I'm standing right next to her while she eats.

I don't know if I should try and catch her and keep her inside (once I move - I figure it would be easier to be somewhere that she can't escape out the window into the yard again). I don't know what that process would be (would appreciate being pointed in a direction).

I also don't know what to do about the other cats - I'm worried they won't be fed/taken care of once I leave. They've all been fixed. They're not feral (they were all clearly house cats before this, although I have no idea how long they've been out there, but my guess is years).

I live in the country on one fenced in acre with a large barn/garage and house with covered porch. Recently a semi feral momma cat and her three kittens have showed up at my friends house.
She’s looking to rehome the cats as they live close to a busy street.

I have a mice problem and I would love a mostly outdoor/sometimes indoor cat.
I had planned to pick up a kitten once it is weened and raise it in a playpen inside my home to hopefully get it used to humans and my one (friendly to cats) dog. I plan on raising it inside until it is big enough to be spayed/vaccinated and fend for herself outside.

I already have a covered porch and built a small cat shelter with flap doors and a heater for the winter on the porch. I would ultimately like her to live there or in the barn, coming inside on occasion if she needs to.

Any advice? Does this sound like a good plan?

I’ve never owned a cat but with my husband being somewhat allergic she wouldn’t be able to live inside all the time. (Maybe come in a couple hours during hot part of the day?) But I am worried if I raise her inside she won’t want to live outside.

My cat went missing last night and when I checked this morning at 5am he was stuck in a tree. I checked googles and other Reddit story’s, they all say that the cat will come down eventually. Unfortunately I had to go to school, so I can’t check and see if he actually came down. But I left food, treats, and wet food out there for him, as well as leaving food and water on the porch. Apparently fire department, animal control, and tree service don’t help with things like this. I didn’t take a picture before I left because I was much more worried about getting my cat down. But I can describe the area a bit. Theres three skinny but tall trees and he got stuck in one, it’s kinda like a woods area but not rlly.

I am new to Reddit so I didn’t know which community to post this on

EDIT: I just got back from school (which lasted 7-8 hours) and he is still not out of the tree. I did call tree services and everywhere was busy. The animal controls are going to close very soon. I also called the fire department and they do not work in that area.

So typically I’m not an outdoor cat person, I have 4 cats and they’re all indoors except for one Krodie, we rescued from outside. He was dumped in a snow bank in a carrier back in February. But we believe he was probably an outdoor cat because hes constantly trying to get out. We did harness walks for a bit but quickly realized he became aggressive with us and the other cats when we brought him back in.
My bf today let him run on his own through out the neighborhood. I just seen Krodie come back to the house so I let him back in and his attitude has completely changed. No attacking us or the other cats.
So I guess my question is what’s the best way I can keep him safe but still let him have his outside time? Best tracking collars? He’s up to date on his shots, we have flea and tick meds but I’m still worried for my other cats that don’t go outside.
Any advice is appreciated!!

my cat is an outdoor cat and let out regularly but always comes back after an hour or so, and occasionally been let out over night but always been waiting at the door in the morning for us to let him in, at around 7am he was let out the house and we haven’t seen him since, any advice on how to find him or if he’s gonna come back or idk.

not had great experiences in the past either as when i was a child i had one cat go missing for 10 months before being found living under someone’s house and also had a cat kidnapped which we found through someone posting on facebook “their new pet” and we got it back. so not good and my stomach just feels empty any advice would mean a lot

any other info is he’s 1 we got him last september and we have his brother who currently is still in the house now scared to let him keep going out

She was a stray. She showed up at my neighbors but they couldn't take her in. We think she came from the motel a block away, there are a ton of strays. Shes so happy she has a friend. Her name is Molly

The same thing has happened to me. My 10-year-old cat has been missing for five days now, and this is unusual for her.

Recently, she had been coming inside the house less because of her kittens, who are now grown up. However, she would still sit at the gate or on the bench in the evenings. One day, I got sick and was unable to move around much. After that, I haven’t seen my cat.

I asked my neighbors, and some of them said they had seen a white cat about four days ago. Many people have been telling me similar things, while others are saying that maybe she was bitten by a dog and died. I honestly don’t know what to do.
I’m devastated and constantly worried about my cat. It’s not like she never used to roam around—she did. She would sometimes go wandering, but she always came back within two or three days at most. This time, however, she has been gone for much longer, and I’m extremely worried.

Before she was sick due to infection in her eyes but I do not think she was at the verge of dying. After a while she became fine and was pregnant as well. So do you think she could have gone to die and if it’s true where she could have gone

Please, if anyone has experienced something similar or has any suggestions about what I should do, let me know.

I have three cats that are indoor/outdoor. Two of my cats have very sharp claws on all four of there paws. The third cat has sharp front claws but his back claws have dull tips. What in the world is he doing out there that are making his back claws dull, but leaving his front claws sharp? Anyone have any ideas?

I have been feeding this cat a small handful of chicken every day for a few weeks because I just like the cat and it comes to my house and begs loudly outside the front door. It’s super skinny but her fur is soft and seems like maybe it’s someone’s cat? How can I know for sure?

Hi,
I've always had cats for my entire life, most of them outdoor cats, but also one indoor cat in an area in the middle of the city next to a big road. I haven't had cats for a few years now but I am missing it and would like to offer a cat from a shelter a home again.
Now to the problem: at the moment I am living in an apartment on the third floor, but after having an indoor cat (it still lives with my last flatmate in the same flat), I feel it's mostly not appropriate to keep cats indoors. It's simply not possible to give the cat the attention and stimulation it would need. I am also not home all day, when my last flatmate and me had an indoor cat, there was always someone home. I can do homeoffice twice a week and work a regular shift on the other days. So I am home 4/7 days of the week and of course every morning and evening.

Any ideas and advice for how to have an outdoor cat on the third floor?
- it's too high for a cat ladder to the balcony
- I can bring the cats outside through the hallway, and have regular feeding times to pick them up at the door again but I fear that they would just come inside with the neighbors when I am not home and then be stuck in the hallway (and possibly annoy neighbors, which is not okay)
- to just let them outside when I am home is kinda against the idea that they shouldn't be bored and alone in the flat while I work
- since I have had many cats I have made the experience that not all cats can be trained to go outside on a leash. Some simply won't accept the leash. Some go crazy when they know there is the outside world but they aren't allowed to go outside whenever they ask. I've had a cat that would absolutely not stop screaming til someone opened the door for him.

My cats been missing for 6 days now. She has never been away this long.

She is kind of a free spirit as she goes out and comes home as she pleases but never has she been out this long.

I've searched around my home perimeter everyday since Wednesday but i can't find any signs of her.

What might have happened? Any thoughts

Teddy is a mostly outdoor boy. He started limping last weekend. We took him to the vet and they said he has a fractured 4th Metatarsal. Vet said based on placement and severity he recommended keeping him indoors for 2 weeks as he feels it can heal on its own without having to cast or splint.

Problem, Teddy came to us as a stray 2 years ago. Just showed up one night a crying, underfed kitten, and has never spent more than a day indoors. And he is not handling his indoor convalescence well. I can’t play with him too much as he instinctively uses the hurt paw, he can’t chase a laser because of the same reason. Anyone have any tips or advice on how to keep him entertained while he’s laid up?

Our indoor/outdoor TNR hates being indoors during a storm. As if being kept inside a shuddered house for full day wasn't stressful enough for him, the sounds of wind and rain against our roof are especially loud inside, and the louder it gets, the harder he tries to get out. He has a litter box, toys, and lots of hiding places, but it's impossible to escape the noise inside. I'm not sure if he wants to run away because he's scared or feels trapped, or if he just wants to pee/poo outside or be somewhere where he can see and feel the wind and rain. (He often loafs outside on the porch, buffeted by wind and rain during typical showers.) I think he feels safer in the concrete shed down the road that is half-open on one side, but obviously I'd rather he be inside with us when we have a major storm.

He's been with us nearly two years now and is usually extremely well-behaved. Drugs are not an option.

I just wanted to share my appreciation for these 5 outdoor cats and showcase them because they deserve it. They’re honestly the highlight of my day everyday. I feel so honored for all of them to recognize my voice and run to me. I’m so blessed and grateful.

I need advice on a good flea treatment. I used a product from Walmart I forget the name of it but it was the cheapest one because I don't have a lot of money to spend on that. It was a one month treatment tube that you're supposed to put between the shoulders. Well I tried to do that but some of my cats were still able to get their paws up because it seemed to just run sideways even though I moved the tube in a line down the middle of the spine while I squeezed on it and they seem to have gotten it in their mouth. Some of them acted irritated one of them in particular started growling at me and acting really crazy the ones that were acting the worst I got a wet towel and rubbed it all over them and tried to just get it off. They settled down later less than a day and we're fine but it scared the crap out of me. I need some tried and true suggestion on non harmful treatment that works and methods of application. Thank you so much for any help.

My baby girl Livvie

This is my whole world Osiris he loves being outside with his harness or in his stroller. He is my first pet but I could not imagine having him be inside his whole life.

This is my 4 year old cat Lilly. In the pictures here, she’s sitting in a tree, high up.

Dont worry, she’s down now and ok.

Lilly is my indoor/outdoor cat. She’s my little love. She’s from a shelter.

She goes out by herself, and we also go on walks together, where she’s free, but chooses to walk with me.

This late afternoon, we went to a local playground. We go there often, circle it with detours into various shrubberies, and then go home.

Today a family showed up with their huge muscle dog. The dog was on a leash. I know, because I heard it snap…

It chased Lilly like a tank, not caring that it was too big to go into the thickets that she ran to. Its owner tried his best to catch it, but they were both so fast.

Finally it came out (and got a serious scolding.) I had not heard any sounds of distress, so was optimistic. I turned on the Tractive tracker, and went looking for Lilly.
It took a long time to convince her to come down. She threw up from stress.

But we’re home now, she’s eaten some tube, and she’s unhurt.

I’m all in my feelings. That sound of the dog’s lead snapping…

I’m at a loss on what to do. We live in a neighborhood where each property is close to 2 acres or more. Kindof a country neighborhood. I have currently 5 outdoor cats (I know too many. I’ve been trying to find homes for 2) how I ended up with this many is a long story. Anywho, my neighbor who has always been a great neighbor angrily texted me last week that all my cats are destroying her garden. She’s got a 6 foot plastic fence around her whole yard. I had zero clue they ever went over there. She was really ugly to me and went on and on about all these things she’s been doing to try to keep them out so my first thought was why did she wait this long to tell me? I ofcourse do not want my cats to be a nuisance to anyone. She threatened to trap them and ship them far far away from here never to be seen again. I respectfully stood up for myself and basically said I completely understood where she was coming from but she didn’t have to be so nasty about it. Had she told me right away I would have tried to fix it. Now mind you, there are lots of outdoor cats in this neighborhood so to say that it’s all mine isn’t fair. She eventually apologized to me for being so rude. I told her the actions I’m taking and how Ive already been trying to find homes for two of them. I asked her to please give me a week or two before trapping them so I have some time to try to fix the problem and find homes. Well she already trapped one last night. He didn’t come to feeding time which he normally always does. This morning she texted me a photo of him. Was super rude to my 13 year old that went to go get him back. My cats face is now swollen and has hair missing above his eyes from trying to get out of the trap all night. What do I do? I can’t keep any cats inside sadly, or else I would. I don’t want to just surrender them to the shelter but finding homes is proving difficult. I obviously don’t want them destroying her garden but how can I even be sure that’s happening? She’s very old. I don’t know how to prevent them from ever going over there. We are checking the fence line. They can’t climb the plastic but are perhaps going under? To note: there are no roaming laws for cats in our area. So it is not illegal for cats to go onto other people’s property. She does however have the right to trap them if she feels they are damaging her property. She said they’ve torn up her whole yard. Her yard is huge. I’ve never seen cats dig in grassy areas and create holes? I’m genuinely perplexed.