Oh dear! Well... maybe a cardboard box with a blanket. The reason I suggested a cat carrier was that it would keep the home-smelling blanket dry if it rained but it wouldn't work if, as you say, the carrier is a destested thing. Our cats hate the cat carriers when they are being put into them... but will happily play in and around them when they're not in use.

But anyway, I still have fingers crossed for Mack's safe return.

Yes, amazingly he made it all the way home and turned up sometime in the early hours this morning, just under a week after his initial disappearance!

A distance of about 1km might not seem like far for a cat, but it's a journey that they have only ever done in a carrier inside a car. And it's definitely not part of his usual roaming territory (he usually goes the other direction).

My dad has been out every evening on foot searching & I went out with him the last two nights, so I maybe he picked up on the scent to find his way back.

Apart from slightly dirty front paws, he's in immaculate condition. Quite hungry, but then he always is.

Ahhh - lovely end to the story.

Hugs to Mack and Mabel.

Wow. Fantastic. You've got to admire Mack's sense of direction.

Brilliant news!! What a clever kitty

Its such an awful feeling when a pet is out there somewhere alone.

I bet your parents will sleep well tonight!!

Such brilliant news . I guess they will have too still go too the vets at some point. I would suggest a wire basket like the RSPCA have where a rid goes through the top

Absolutely inspiring, great they are both back.

One of mine went missing for three days and came swanning home, goodness knows where she had been.

Thinking of getting Kittycams like on the BBC

That's brilliant. Well done Mack, clever boy.

I'm sure your parents must be so relieved, they can relax at last. Was Mabel pleased to see him?

The good news is that they don't even need to go back to the vet. I hadn't realised, but The Great Escape of 2013 occurred after they had had their vet's appointment, not before as I originally thought.
So, assuming they don't show any ill effects from their little holiday (and they both seem ok - my parents will keep a close eye on them, no doubt) they shouldn't need another trip until their next check-up.

Future vet trips will have to be done individually, and I will make sure I am around to help out.

Let this be a warning to other cat owners though:
Make sure your pet carrier is properly secured/locked when you are transporting them about. And if you have a freakishly strong cat, make sure you are carrying him/her separately. (In fact, don't ever try to carry 2 at once, especially if you are an OAP!)

I am so pleased your other cat also found its way home.

They did greet each other, briefly apparently. But Mabel was doing her usual aloof Tortie schtick when I got there, sitting on a wall looking down on the proceedings.
It was Mack that seemed the most pleased to see everyone - you could hear his purr from halfway down the road.

Great news that they're both back home

Last time I had to take mine in her basket, I thought I had secured it but as I stepped out of the front door, she started to break out I managed to turn round quickly so she actually landed back in the house (she'd probably have run a mile from the basket if she'd been outside) but I'll be making doubly sure in future that things are well and truly secured before I open the door !

Return of the Mack

Sorry, couldent resist

Woohoo....well done Mack!

What fantastic news

mine is still missing though so not all missing cat stories have happy endings but im happy mack has returned. i wish my cat would come back

Arrrgh that's firmly stuck in my head now


Glad they're both safely home, OP.

Hope you get your happy ending too and Jessie turns up safe soon.

Great news - at last both are safe!

Natilly, I hope your cat returns soon

OMG! That is brilliant news, Birdsworth. It's made my day. Your parents must be thrilled.

Getting cats to and from vets can be a challenge. We have five so we book two consecutive appointments and take them all at once. We have robust carry cages - one has the three moggies in (with a litter tray as they have a tendency to be sick and need to have a dump en route... imagine how the car smells... ) and then the two 8kg Maine Coons are in separate, even more robust carriers. Luckily, there's loads of parking right outside our vets.

Hope your errant mog returns soon, Natilly.

I had to Google that. Shows what I know

You know - I never doubted that he would find his way back eventually. A feeling I had. Just out on a big adventure.

Natilly - hope yours comes back soon.

Sorry Natilly....in the joy at Mack and Mable's return, you lost Jessie got overlooked

I hope you have good news to share very, very soon.

thanks everyone for the nice comments , i hope she is back soon. gah im all emotional now

Fingers, toes, and everything else crossed for Jessie's return.
After fly-posting the surrounding areas, my parents were getting 2-3 calls a day with potential sightings. None of them turned out to actually be M or M, but it showed that people will keep a look out if they have been made aware and see a strange cat. (I wouldn't like to say if it was the inclusion of a promised reward that helped with this, although most people didn't seem that bothered...)
Make sure there are posters in the sort of places where people pass regularly to & from the area you are searching, such as local shops, etc.

7 days isn't that long for a cat to be missing - Mack was in a perfectly fine condition, just rather hungry, when he came back. He's not known as much of a hunter so we don't think he could've eaten much during that time.

Jessie just may be lurking around someone's garden waiting to be spotted.

Didn't want to read this thread because I knew it would make me cry....... it did but in a good way. So pleased your mum and dad have their wee ones back. Keep on hunting Natilly, don't give up.