i have been fishing off a dock where the catfish are fed pellets regularly, I know that's like cheating but man its fun because they are always around!
...anyways, about two weeks ago the cats disappeared, they dont come up for the food anymore. Im wondering have they headed for deeper water now that fall is here? Im new to texas catfishing so not sure what it is like in the fall and winter. any tips are appreciated!

The fish sometimes do strange things during the fall turnover. I bet they are back in a day or two.

I have a pond full of cats in my front yard, and there are certain times of the day that they will come up and feed, if you dont feed at that time, they usually will not come up and feed.

What Lake are you talking about...does it have cormorants? The reason I ask is on some lakes the cats know when the cormorants show up and poop undigested shad all night...talk about your great chum!
Shad population? Right now everything seems to be following the shad on the larger lakes.
Turnover could also be a factor...nothing hangs around when there is little oxygen in the water.
They'll be back unless it's a catfish farm and the owner "harvested".

it's on medina lake. these were channel cats, do you think they are following the shad too when they had a regular and easy food source? it was like clockwork, throw in some floating catfish food, and they would just show up and start chowing down, pretty much any time of day but best around 5-6pm because thats when they usually get fed.
but for about 3 weeks now (since the cool weather showed up) the cats dont come up anymore. im guessing they have somewhere else they hole up when the water gets cooler. also, this dock is on a windswept point with pretty constant wave action. I doubt low oxygen is the problem since the water is being worked by wind and waves in the shallows all day. its a mystery!

I may change my answer and go with FLY's answer. I thought about that but then went with turnover. It is like magic when the water turkeys come back that the fish seem to know it and they go find them.

Put out jugs this weekend while doing some work at the duck camp. Didn't do as well as usual. Like Fly was talking about, shad were everywhere and one or two throws of the cast net would yield pleny of bait. Have to think with so much shad they don't have to go too far to feed. When we really tear them up is when the water is high and it takes a long time to catch bait since the shad can get back in all of the runouts and into the cover. Less shad means the cats have to move more and find more of my baits. Just a theory, but makes sense to me.

thanks for the replies. until I get my boat going, I guess Ill have to wait for the water turkeys to leave and the cats to come back.