[Bitsy]

We have (or I should say my husband has) a cat named Ivan that I have nicknamed Ivan the bad cat! He is always trying to run outside. We have kids so it is easy for them or their friends to forget to be careful when they come in or out.

So, I don't give them the opportunity to let him out. When we have company over, I put Ivan in the laundry room. He has a bed and food and water and is just fine in there. Maybe you could try putting your Toby up when certain people come to visit. Then, if they say, "where is Toby", you can nicely and honestly tell them that you don't want to risk him getting out again so you put him out of harms way for a while. Or, if they are there a long time, you can just put him up while they are arriving or departing.

Hope this helps. As I tell me son (and myself repeatedly): "You can't control what other people do. No matter how much you try. You can only control what you do and how you respond in situations."

Since you can't control them, you might have to take extra precautions.

Good luck.