Most cats either come home on their own (very rare for a scaredy cat or tame foster cat) or are found from doing an active search of your own, and neighbours', properties. They're probably nearby Being territorial, cats usually stay very close to where they got out, especially if they're scaredy cats.
Indoor cats who get outdoors are typically found less than three houses away. Ask friends and neighbors to help with the search, and check under decks and porches, in garages and sheds, and other places where a cat could hide or get trapped.
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. We also know of cats that leave home while their humans are away on holiday, returning soon after the family arrives back.
Over seventy percent of missing cats made it back home, one way or another.
The only published research study on lost pet rates found that between 11-16% of dogs and 12 - 18% of cats are likely to go missing at least once in five years.
Of stray animals entering shelters in USA and Australia, reported reclaim percentages for cats are typically 2–4% compared to reclaim percentages for dogs which usually range from 26–40%, but can be as high as 90% [6,7,8]. Cats are 13 times more likely to return to owners by means other than a visit to a shelter [9].
An indoor cat may live 15-17 years, while the life expectancy for outdoor cats is only 2-5 years, according to researchers at University of California-Davis. Dr. Jeff Levy, DVM, CVA, owner of House Call Vet NYC, also discourages owners from keeping cats outdoors.
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.
Hunting & primal behaviour. Hunting is a natural behavior for cats. The fact felines are born with a predatory instinct means that as soon as they sense a bird, a mouse or any other wild prey, the hunt is well and truly on. And it's this thrill of the chase that can lead to them vanishing for hours at a time.
You do not need to worry if your cat leaves, however, if it has been more than two days, you should consider notifying your local vet and animal warden that your animal has not come back, as they might have been injured, preventing them from coming home.
Yes, cats can return home many days, weeks, months, and even years after they wandered off or were lost. According to the Lost Pet Research project, there were reports of cats traveling 50-80 miles in 2.5 years, 38 miles in 6 months, 30 miles in 10 days, and 20 miles in 21 days. So if your cat is lost, keep up hope.
Cats can disappear for days at a time and return with no trouble, looking perfectly healthy. While you might be worried, they're likely to stroll in and wonder what all the fuss is about. If they haven't yet returned, give them a few hours before you make a plan of action.
If your cat is gone for more than 12 hours or overnight, it's time to take action. Don't panic. Follow the tips in this article to bring your cat home safely.
Outside cats mark their territory with urine and rub up against objects to leave behind specific scent markers. It's likely that they use these scent markers to know where they are and where they're going. It's theorized that they can follow their own scent trails all the way back home.
Call around to all the vets, surgery centers, and rescue centres within a five-mile radius and ask if a cat fitting your cat's description has been brought in. Use a computer or a copy machine to create fliers with a description and a photo of your lost cat on them.
Cats are territorial. When an outdoor-access cat suddenly vanishes, it means that something has happened to that cat to interrupt its normal behavior of coming home. The disappearance could mean that the cat is injured, trapped, or deceased within its territory.
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.
Use strong smelling canned cat food that your cat can smell from a distance so your cat knows where to go for food. Also, put your cat's litter box and any bedding that has your cat's scent on it outside to attract your cat back to your home.
Luring Out a Lost Cat
Albrecht says owners trying to lure out their cat should use food. You can even place food just inside the door and then close it once your cat heads back inside. You might also consider leaving food and water outside the home in case the cat comes back at night.
You may have even heard that your cat can smell their dirty litter a mile away. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that a cat can smell their litter box from that far away. More realistically, they might be able to smell it up to a few hundred feet away (depending on wind and weather conditions) and often a lot less.
The average male outdoor cat may have a territory of a few acres, while a female's may be much smaller. Some studies show that cats walk a few dozen yards to more than half a mile per day.
Outdoor cats are at higher risk of injury by cars or other animals and are more susceptible to diseases like feline immunodeficiency virus or parasites. Night time is particularly risky for cats who are outdoors.
They may sleep in caves or abandoned buildings, under porches and trees, or even in bushes. They will also sleep outside on open ground if no shelter is available. What do cats do at night? Cats are nocturnal, which means they are active at night.
Cats seem to have a sort of homing instinct which in some cases have guided cats to travel hundreds of miles back to their home. Most indoor-only cats tend not to travel far. While an adventurous indoor/outdoor cat is more likely to roam, a scared cat may not trust their inner compass, get confused, and get lost.