Trying to get Polly in in the evenings

[tigerbaby]

Jameson has definitely selective hearing, but I never know how close he is to the garden, as the surrounding bits are shrublands and other peoples gardens. So half of the time he is probably nowhere near the garden, but the rest of the time I'm sure he's hiding somewhere as often 30 seconds later there'll be a little head popping thru the flap.

[Marcia]

Holly is a good girl, she never leaves the garden but Taco, Tilly and Molly jump over the fence and go for a stroll. Holly comes in when you ask her to but the others need to be coaxed in with a shake of their food bag 

[The Duchess]

Jessie usually doesn't go out and of she does she doesn't go far...but every so often she plays "chase me" and you have to grab her to get her back in   Cosmo usually goes on patrol and comes in when he's secured all borders after an hour or so 

during the good weather last week, one of my colleague's cats didn't come in until 3:00a.m. - they "had" to leave the door open until the dirty little stop out wandered back in - he was not impressed 

Cosmo's been going bonkers today as it's too wet to let him out - looks like an early morning start for me tomorrow then 
 

[Christina]

same here. my older cat always comes in when you rattle the treats tin, as shes obsesively greedy, but my 2 year ols is nightmare. she too will run up to me when i call her, then dart off in the other direction just before i can reach her! im sure they think its hilarious! ive given up on her now. i just leave a window open slightly, so that she can come in when shes ready. she normally strolls in before bedtime. its ok now, but when it starts getting dark and cold, not sure ill be too happy about her staying out all evening!  i dont really think theres too much that can be done to be honest!

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

We live in a quiet close and so they usually go out in the back garden, hop over the fence or go round the front of the house.  Polly for the last few days has been playing silly run around games and just won't come in. She's there out the front, in next doors front garden or just round the corner and will come when I call her and rattle the food bowls or temptations, but she just won't come in or let me catch her. This evening, she's in now, but I've just spent the past hour popping in and out trying to get her but she will just run off as though it's a game.

Ditto Ditto Ditto !

I too live in a clu-de-sac and a couple of mine to excatly the same thing !!
Sorry got no tips for you as it norm takes me hours to get all mine in but just wanted you to know that you arnt alone 

[blackcat]

She is definitely playing with you. I have similar probs with mine in these lovely summer evenings. I usually get one inside, then shut the door between where we are and where the cat flap is. That way I can hear the catflap when it goes, but the one indoors is still safe. Then the other one comes in when good and ready. Sometimes it is Smidgen, other times Esther who is the dirty stop-out, but they are always in by dark. Ignoring them is sometimes the best punishment for bad behaviour ...

[swampmaxmum]

def find a game that works. I used to call, let my lad see me, then hide my face, then peek out again (etc etc!) and he'd get so interested he'd come close enough to grab. (fury afterwards when the door locked for a bit!) but it worked every time.

[em1209]

I think rattling da birdy tube is probably my best bet. She's so cheeky 

[Millys Mum]

My torti does this, shes a horror if she manages to slip out after supper 

[alisonandarchie]

Sounds like she thinks its agood game

The only way we can lure Archie in if he is that sort of mood is to get Da Bird or Da Mousie out. It works every time

[em1209]

I let Fergus and Polly out when I get home from work at 5/6ish. I've always done it without giving them any food before hand so they come back in when hungry and when I rattle their bowls.

We live in a quiet close and so they usually go out in the back garden, hop over the fence or go round the front of the house. Usually they go off for about half an hour then tend to come back spend some time in the garden, come back in the house for a cuddle etc. Fergus is really good and will appear about half 7ish and just sit by his food bowl  squawking at me when I look at him! I tell him he's got to find his sister and then they can have dinner. Polly for the last few days has been playing silly run around games and just won't come in. She's there out the front, in next doors front garden or just round the corner and will come when I call her and rattle the food bowls or temptations, but she just won't come in or let me catch her. This evening, she's in now, but I've just spent the past hour popping in and out trying to get her but she will just run off as though it's a game. She used to do exactly the same in the evenings trying to get her out of the sitting room, she'd hide behind one sofa and then run behind the other and then underneath etc etc. She's knows exactly what she's doing and that she's supposed to come in. It's not as though she's afraid of me or anything because she'll be quite close and sniff my fingers and then do the jump up with her paws in the air to head butt and rub against the fence, but just won't get close enough for me to grab her, or rather she's too quick  !!

So any tips really? I can't be spending an hour a night chasing her with her running off in the opposite direction and trying to get her out from underneath my car, especially now it's getting dark. Should I start getting them in earlier do you think? OH said to leave less biscuits out during the day as then she'll be more hungry to come in in the evenings.

Thanks
Emma