Male wanderers tend to stay within a territory of about 150 acres, while females stay closer to home, roaming only about 40 acres. This means that your average male cat is likely to stay within 1500 feet of home, while your average female tends not to go much farther than 75 yards from your door.
Home girl vs gentleman adventurer
Myth: Male cats wander far and wide but female cats will always stay close to home. Reality: This really comes down to whether or not your cat's been neutered. Both male and female cats will roam away from home looking for a mate.
Male cats tend to be more social and affectionate with both humans and other cats. They commonly form strong bonds with other cats in the home, even when they are not from the same litter. Females, on the other hand, are often more standoffish. If you are looking for a cuddle bug, adopting a male may be your best bet.
While a cat's gender doesn't seem to make a difference in terms of affection, Posluns notes that studies of cat personality also suggest it has little influence on the type of relationship with their owner. But in contrast, "an owner's gender has a much more significant impact on the cat-human bond," she says.
It isn't uncommon for cats to go missing for 24 hours, especially if they like spending a lot of time outdoors. In some cases, cats can even stay away from home for up to 10 days at a time.
A well-established male cat should be able to find its home from its territory, and if it doesn't come home for the night, there usually isn't a need to worry. Leave a window or the balcony door open so it can enter the house while you are asleep. If it comes home to a closed door, it might wander off again.
Cats in heat are prone to wandering off in search of a mate. Likewise, male cats, once they pick up the scent of a cat in heat, can also quickly lose their bearings. Having your cat spayed or neutered when they are around six months old should stop them from running away regularly.
Choosing a gender
Males, or toms, can be friendlier than females. Intact male cats "spray" to mark their territory and “howl” for females (this is usually not a problem if you get him neutered). Female cats tend to be more reserved than males but are far less likely to spray.
Orange cats were regarded as the friendliest by respondents, while white cats were labeled aloof, and tortoiseshell cats were thought to have too much "attitude."
Both male and female cats can spray. Unneutered male cats are the most likely to mark. They also have the strongest smelling urine. About 5% of neutered females and 10% of neutered males continue urine marking after they've been fixed.
Females also tend to be more independent and happy to spend time alone, so a female cat can be a good choice if you'll be out at work all day and just want to be welcomed with a purr when you get home.
Male wanderers tend to stay within a territory of about 150 acres, while females stay closer to home, roaming only about 40 acres. This means that your average male cat is likely to stay within 1500 feet of home, while your average female tends not to go much farther than 75 yards from your door.
"In response, the cats approach female owners more frequently, and initiate contact more frequently (such as jumping on laps) than they do with male owners," co-author Manuela Wedl of the University of Vienna told Discovery News, adding that "female owners have more intense relationships with their cats than do male ...
According to Discovery News' report on research on cat and human behavior, the No. 1 reason a cat likes female humans is because women tend to spend more time with cats. And the more attention they get from a person, the more likely they are to give the same amount of loving right back.
You will notice more distinct differences in male and female cats or dogs if they have not been spayed or neutered. Females are generally moodier. Males are often more affectionate. Males may be more aggressive as well but it isn't true of all breeds.
In the first few nights, have your kitten close to you in a warm and cosy spot next to your bed. Kittens like to feel sheltered and secure so putting them above the ground, if possible, can also make them feel safer.
Why hasn't my cat come back home? Cats act on instinct and may leave home for various reasons. The cat may be too curious and wander off on its own, perhaps through an open door or window. You may also have a missing cat after they run out of fear or because they're hungry and see a tasty-looking bird outside.
Reproductive instinct
The first reason why cats run away is their reproductive instinct – which is strong in female cats in heat as well as unneutered male cats. As long as you have an unneutered male cat, he will definitely spend more time outdoors, searching for purrfect mating partners.
Go out with a friend or family member when it is dark to call for your cat by name. Leave a bowl of water out and some food. A tasty treat such as tuna might be enough to bring your cat home.
Cats can smell over a mile depending on wind conditions. Then make the scent strip and “Cat Chum” (Described below) trails back in the most direct and safe way to your house and/or traps.
However in some cases, cats can go missing for days, weeks, months or even years. They may return, or might not ever make it home. To prevent losing your beloved pet, use a GPS cat tracker and always know where your feline friend is. If your cat is gone for more than 12 hours or overnight, it's time to take action.
On average, it turned out that the cats spent a vast majority (79%) of their time outdoors while being just 50 meters or less away from home, with the maximum average distance being around 352 meters. There were exceptions, some of whom event traveled several kilometers away, but these were far outside the norm.