This cat owner is extremely frustrated because her cat keeps running away to their previous house. Understandably, this is extremely frustrating. What does Glynne recommend?

Question

We moved house about 3 years ago from a garden flat to a house 5km away. We have five cats. Four of them settled in immediately but the smallest one (female about 8 years old, who has always been a bush cat), has never settled down and constantly runs away to our previous address. Initially she only did this when we were away, even if only for 1 night, but she has been getting consistently worse and now she goes back at least once or twice a week. Sometimes it takes days for her to show her face at the flat (which thankfully we still own), then we bring her back and lock her up for a few days but the moment she’s let out she runs back. We have tried everything, even not leaving food for her at the flat so that she only associates food with her “new” home but it does not work. Eventually we are forced to leave food for her otherwise she would starve.

I understand that some experts advise that a cat like this should be locked up for weeks on end if necessary but due to her free spirited temperament she cannot be locked up for more than a few days (we have tried 2 weeks) but she becomes extremely anxious and clearly wants to “break out” at any cost.

We have reached the end of our tether as this constant searching for her and carting her up and down takes up our lives and the journey to the flat is a very long one through the bush for such a small cat (she does not take the road route). She never seems to be any worse for wear but it’s such a problem. Please can you offer some sound and effective advice? I would be most grateful.

Hi there
Sounds like she is being intimidated by your other cats.
Up your game by providing her with her own private suite, room service, a varied menu of her favorite cuisine and fool proof security so the others can’t get at her or bully her, causing her to run away to your previous house.
Cats only leave home for a better deal.
Meow for now
Glynne