Determining How Your Cat Escaped And Beginning Your Search
Here is a quick outline, with details below:
Most of the time when cats run out a door or open window they quickly realize they are outside of their territoryTheir next move is to find the closest safe place to hide.
Do Cats Come Back When They Run Away
My cat ran away. Will he come back? Catssometimes disappear for periods of time. They often come back, but there aretimes when they dont. If your cat has been gone for longer than yourecomfortable with, dont worry because studies have shown that cats are somewhatable to find their way back home, even though it doesnt happen a hundredpercent of the time due to several factors.
Feline Temperaments That Influence Distances Traveled
Temperament influences actions. How a cat behaves when in its normal territory will influence how it behaves when it becomes lost or displaced into unfamiliar territory. In addition to posting flyers and checking the cages of local shelters, encourage cat owners to develop a search strategy based on the specific behavior of their cat. Here are guidelines to use:
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Lost Cat Knowledge From The Missing Animal Response Network
The Missing Animal Response Network is an American not-for-profit organisation, founded by former police detective, Kat Albrecht.
The Missing Animal Response Network has expert knowledge on what cats do when displaced from their homes. Its not what you might think.
It turns out that checking vets and shelters, putting fliers on lamp posts and posting on Facebook isnt very effective in finding lost cats.Not effective at all.
Search For Your Cat At Specific Times Of The Day
Because cats are nocturnal, they are more likely to be active and walking around during the night and early morning. Cats particularly like this time of day because it is quiet, and feels safer to them because of the absence of cars. While the latter is good news to worried owners, the darkness can certainly hinder your search. We walked around our yard with flashlights and paid particular attention to the rustling of bushes in case Luna could be seen hiding among them.
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What Are The Chances Of Finding A Lost Cat
Unfortunately, not all lost cats make it home, but a little over 60% are reunited with their pet parents. From a 2018 study, a third of lost cats find their way home in the first week. This number grows to 50-60% after around 2-3 months of going missing.1
As time goes on, the chances for successful recovery decreases, but dont give up! Some pets have been reunited with their pet parents years later.
Do Cats Run Away To Die
Some people wonder whether cats run away to die, or even if they know they are dying. The reality is that they do not leave because they know they will die.
When a cat is not feeling well, they usually look for a quiet, safe place. The sicker they are, the more they feel the need for security. When you think of it from a wild cats perspective, if you arent feeling well, you are more vulnerable to predators. But according to cat logic, if no one knows youre sick and no one knows where you are, you should be safe.
Usually, sick cats dont go far from home. Instead, they seek out the quietest, safest nearby spot they can find. If they are too weak to get food or walk home again, they may be in danger of passing away in this spot.
If your cat is missing, do a thorough check of the crawl space under your home or apartment building, as well as underneath the porch, in a barn or shed, or around a neighbors home.
Cats are capable of some pretty amazing return-home feats, but its best to not rely on this alone if your cat is missing. Keep checking the neighborhood and local shelters, as well as around your house or your neighbors houses. Check with the new tenants if you moved.
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How Missing Cats Find Their Way Back Home
Its not all bad news when it comes to cats running away. It turns out, our feline friends may be experts at finding their way back home. Here are some factors which can help your feline friend return home on their own:
- Homing instinct: a cats homing behavior is their ability to navigate back to a familiar location through unfamiliar areas. While it is not completely understood, it may have something to do with cats keen sensitivity to the Earths geomagnetic field, which helps them to figure out their way home1. However keep in mind that not all cats are equally skilled at homing outdoor cats are more likely to have this ability than indoor cats.
- Cat sense of direction: what helps make their homing instinct strong is cats extraordinary sense of direction. Using their advanced senses of smell, hearing and vision, as well as sensing the magnetic fields, cats have been known to find their way home from miles away. The presence of iron in catsâ ears and skin may act as a natural compass.
- Psi trailing: in some remarkable cases, cats have been able to find their way back to a loved one, through unfamiliar territory to a destination previously unknown to the feline. This is called psi-trailing and there is not much of a scientific explanation for it but some cat parents stories indicate that cats may have some way of tracking their parents and homing in on them, regardless of where they go.
My Indoor Cat Ran Away How Long Do I Wait For Her To Come Home
I took in a stray cat when she was 3 months old. My wife and I have had her for a little more than a year and on Sunday she fell off our second floor apartment balcony. I say “fell” because I her a scramble to get footing come from outside which alerted me that something happened When I went outside I had a little bit,of a chase and at one point I almost caught her but she scratched up my arms, peed on me, and slipped from my grasp. Since then I haven’t seen any sign of her in my apartment complex. I left out water, and treats near the base of my steps, completely untouched. I put up flyers around my complex, my neighbors are keeping an eye out too. She is microchips and we sent out an alert to all the shelters in the area. I also consulted a pet detective who gave me advice to make stinky food trails leading back home. Every night I go out with my headlamp and look around people’s yards and in any cat sized hole I can see. I live in Arizona and there are predators in the area for sure, coyote, owls, bobcats, etc. And I live right next to a wash and golf course, where I haven’t seen anything but wild animals use them to get around. How long should I wait for her? When does the feeling of excitement that she may be home and the utter disappointment when she isn’t there go away? I know she is super timid and scares and may hide for several days before returning, but I can’t keep up this emotional rollercoaster. When do I, for lack of a better phrase, “give up and move on?”
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Reasons Why Cats Run Away
Its something that pet owners never want to think about, but unfortunately, it happens with disturbing regularity: Their best friend runs away from home.
While any pet can get lost in the Great Outdoors, its especially worrisome when cats go missing. Unlike dogs, calling them isnt likely to bring them back, and theyre vulnerable to predation from all sorts of other animals.
If youre worried about your feline friend running off, it would be helpful to first understand why they sometimes leave, then you can think about what you can do to bring them back. Here, we look at 11 common reasons that cats run away, so you can hopefully keep yours safe and close at all times.
The Importance Of Identification
If your cat has proper identification, it is more likely to be returned to you. If your cat wears a collar and tags, most people will return him to you if they think he is lost. With micro-chipping and/or ear tattooing, many veterinarians and animal shelters will be able to notify you, even if the collar/tags were removed. Ear tattoos that were applied at the time of spaying or neutering can serve as an indicator that your cat has had previous preventative care and may have a home.
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Take Advantage Of The Social Media
More than ever, pet parents rely on the internet to help locate their missing cats. Post on your own social media sites and share the information in social media community groups and, again, be sure to include recent photos. Online sites allow you to include more information, so think of any quirks your cat may have or if there’s a special word or phrase they’ll respond to. Some pet parents may offer a cash reward for locating their lost cat, but when posting in public forums, be mindful of advertising this reward as it could attract potential scammers. If you do offer a cash reward, consider including this information without specifying the exact amount. Or, don’t advertise the reward, but then give one to whoever finds your cat. They may have spent some money to feed and house your kitty, and they’d appreciate the gesture.
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Why Is My Cat Not Coming Back
Even thought it is completely normal to get worried if your cat does not come back, you should not panic and think about him being injured. This may happen, but these are not the only reasons your cat does not come back to his sweet home! And, don’t worry, it has nothing to do either with your pet not liking you or feeling unwell in your home.
If your cat is a good hunter, it can happen that their territory is lacking prey, or prey have been hunted by other cats. Your cat might then be tempted to travel further away to find new catches.
A cat that has not been neutered can go to great length to find another cat in heat. Dominated by their instincts, your cat might have escaped for a few days and come back as nothing had happened.
Cats Territory And Behavior Before You Begin Your Search
Their territory is their safe space because they have determined predators cant get to them, food and water are available, the natives are friendly, and they work every day to keep it that way.
Think of your cat at the veterinarians office, a new cat when you bring it into your home, or even cats in a shelter. This is why people are often puzzled when they search for their cat and actually see it and it wont come to them, or it isnt friendly with people as it usually is. The cat has lost its safe space where it knows the sounds and smells and the expected activities and feels exposed and in danger. A cats survival instinct tells it to get into a place where it is protected on all sides from predators, to keep still and quiet until it becomes familiar with the new space, then begin to explore and adapt to the new reality a little at a time. How cats do this, and how quickly, depends on your cats personality, and is part of what will guide your search.
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Focus On A Smaller Radius When Looking For A Lost Indoor Cat
While dogs often have the energy and motivation to travel miles from their home, cats usually do not venture nearly as far. When we finally found Luna, it was clear that she had come out from hiding in the woods behind our house and was not trekking about town. Although there are a lot of wooded areas to explore and wild animals to find in our neighborhood, Luna chose to stay pretty close to our house, which was, of course, extremely lucky.
Let Other People Know
Once you have searched high, low, and anywhere in between and your cat is still missing, it is time to let other people and organisations know. Post a recent photograph on the different social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter. Take advantage of pages that have been set up specifically to help find missing cats, such as Cat Aware and Missing Pets GB. Remember to include a full description with their age, name and last known whereabouts, as well as any distinguishable features that will make it easier to identify your cat.
You can also further your search by creating a missing pet flyer and check with local shelters, your vet, and community forums. If your cat has been missing for a few days, it is worth asking boarding kennels in your area. There are also some great lost and found websites that have reunited lost cats with their owners.
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Your Cat Is Sick Or Wounded
You might think that your kitty has run away from home, but the truth is they might not be in a position to return. They could be just lost, or they might also be injured and too hurt to come back.
It doesnt matter in what condition you find your missing kitty, and its vital that you take them to the vet immediately. Your vet will check for any wounds, broken bones and theyll run tests to see if they have caught a virus.
Unfortunately, there are many dangers your kitty might face outside your home. They could be poisoned by a bad neighbor or hit by a car, even if you live in a secluded area. A report showed that most cats avoid busy roads, suggesting they are more likely to have accidents on quieter lanes where they are not frightened of the constant noise, movement, and exhaust fumes.
Lost Cat How Long Do Cats Go Missing For
Cats like to wander, so there is a good chance yours goes missing now and then. In our experience, it is not unusual for a cat to be MIA for 24 hours at a time. Some cats even disappear for two to three days at a time. But, no matter how often they do it, or how street-smart they are, it can still be a worrying time for youif you think you have a lost cat.
Of course, if you are new to owning a cat, the idea of your precious bundle being out of your sight for a few minutes can be distressing, let alone an entire day. Carry on reading to find about everything your feline, including:
- How long do cats go missing for?
- Why do they go missing?
- What can be done to find a lost cat?
- How to prevent cats from getting lost
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