Your Cat Chased A Rodent Insect Or Another Cat And Got Distracted
This usually happens when they go about chasing rodents, insects or other cats and dogs. Cats have great reflexes that allow them to leap and jump high or run quickly, as fast as 30 mph! The downside is, since cats get too distracted they may find themselves in a strange area and they may not find their way back home.
Reason : Your Furball Goes Missing From Home Because Of Reproduction
Letâs face it: Cats are reproductive species. This means, whenever they are in heat or feel that other cats in the area are in heat, they will search for them. Their very sharp senses will detect cats in heat in the neighborhood and there is no fence high enough to stand in the way of your feline then.
Should they not find cats in heat in the area, some felines might go even further away in their search.
This could lead to your cat being gone from home for multiple days at a time.
Good to know: Some cats also go missing when they are due to give birth. They find another place, somewhere hidden, where they build something similar to a nest, to prepare for giving birth in a safe, undisturbed environment.
What Should I Do If My Cat Comes Home From Being Missing
If your cat returns on his or her own from being missing, try to react in a reassuring way not to spook them. Your cat is probably feeling very overwhelmed and potentially traumatized from their time out in the wild alone, especially if they do not typically spend a lot of time outside.
Your next step should be to spend some quality time with your cat, petting them and inspecting them for any injuries or unusual marks. Keep an eye out for any wounds, bite marks or scratches that might need attention.
If you believe your cat was attacked by another animal or was injured somehow, you should schedule an appointment with your vet. The vet will thoroughly inspect your cat and assess whether they need any shots or additional cleaning to any wounds.
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How Far He Travels
In 2011, researchers at the University of Illinois Extension school conducted a study to see exactly how far cats roam away from home. Cats were tagged with a tracking device and lived in central Illinois. Both human-owned kitties and feral cats were tracked during the two-year study. As expected, the furballs with homes didnt go quite as far as the feral felines. On average, adopted kitties scoured an area of roughly 4.9 acres during their prowling sessions. This means that if you have a house on a half-acre lot and all of the houses in your neighborhood sit on the same amount of land, your mischievous buddy explores a radius of as far as your neighbors yard four or five houses down the street. He still makes it back home safely for dinner every night.
What Are The Chances Of Finding Your Lost Cat
A study conducted by the US National Library of Medicine found a 33% chance of finding your lost cat within the first week and a 56% chance of finding your lost cat within two months .
While those odds may feel discouraging, the circumstances surrounding each cats disappearance are unique, and those numbers account for an extensive range of situations and scenarios. Assuming your cat did not go missing due to other outside factors, they typically do not wander far away, so your best chance of finding them is during the first week within a few miles of your home.
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Why Do Cats Disappear For Days At A Time
Cats disappear for days at a time because they are inquisitive animals and it is natural for them to hunt, explore and check out anything that piques their interest. This indicates that your cat is a smart, healthy and active feline. But, these traits sometimes get them into deep trouble such as disappearing and getting separated from their owners.
Here are the common reasons why cats disappear for days at a time:
How To Find A Lost Cat
When your pet cat goes missing, it can be a very stressful experience. It is like losing a member of your family. Owners of lost cats fear for the wellbeing of their pet.
There is a risk that the cat may not come home or be injured.
The most important thing when finding a lost cat is to stay calm, act fast and never give up. Catshave been known to be found weeks or months after going missing.
Keep searching every day until it has returned home.
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How Do You Know If Your Cat Misses You
2. Strong desire for affection upon your return. A cats expression of affection is more subtle than a dogs, so pay attention. If your cat is permanently attached to your side, following you from room to room, and rubbing up against your legs, its his way of saying: I love you, I missed youpay attention to me!
Get A Cat Tracking Device
If you want to be really sure that youll be able to find your cat if s/he goes missing, then do all of the above and invest in a cat tracker for your cats collar.
There are different types available to suit different budgets. The most popular brands include Loc8tor Tab Cat, PawScout and Whistle. Theyre all very discreet and lightweight.
Read our detailed Cat Tracker Reviews here, or check out the Best Cat Trackers of 2018!
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I’ve Found A Stray Cat With Kittens What Should I Do
If mum and kittens appear to be free from sickness or injury and are located in a safe area then at this time it’s best to leave them alone. If you spot a mum and kittens, it’s best to keep your distance so as not to risk disturbing them. It’s important not to move kittens or mum unless they’re in danger as being moved may put the kittens at risk. In addition to the risk of disturbance, the mum might have an owner nearby already looking for her so it’s best to leave them be but you can help in other ways.
Please try to see if the mum has an owner by posting on local social media groups or speaking to neighbours to see if anybody knows her. In addition, you can and a paper cat collar so people know to get in touch with you if they have any information.
If you can’t find an owner and you think mum is a stray, it’s a good idea to call your local animal rescue for advice. They may talk to you about giving a helping hand by providing food, water and outside shelter to help protect mum and kittens from extreme weather.
If mum and/or the kittens look to be suffering from sickness or injury, phoning a local vet for advice is the best and quickest way to help. It’s important that mum and kittens stay together. If you need to transport the mum and kittens and are not able to do so safely, please call your local rescue charity or our advice line on 0300 1234 999. Never put yourself in danger.
Why Do Cats Leave
Cats go for ambles because of their adventurous nature. It has nothing to do with your pet not liking you or feeling unwell in your home. Cats are independent animals and only became social when in contact with humans. But they have kept their instincts.
Even though a cat can be domesticated, its instinct, like predation, hunting, mating, and defending its territory, is still very much present. A cat likes to go out and leave its territory whenever it can. It is even more likely when your cat has not been neutered.
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Distance For Feral Cats
Wild kitties who dont have human families travel even farther than your beloved pal would. Feral felines wander from place to place, but still tend to stay within the same range. These fuzzballs cover an average of 1,351 acres while theyre out and about. Thats a dramatic increase over your purring pals comfort zone.
How Far Can A Lost Cat Travel
On average, a lost cat usually ends up 3-4 miles away from their home . If your cat ran away on their own, it would typically head for a familiar area. Think about whether your cat is particularly fond of a certain section of your yard or neighborhood, and spend extra time looking for them there.
While cats will not typically travel that far from home, they often are hidden away in tricky to spot hiding places, which makes it more difficult to find them. It helps to get down at their height and look for any hiding places on the ground level.
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How To Identify An Independent Kitten
An independent kitten will:
- Be capable or urinating and defecating without assistance from their mother
- Eat solid food
- Be able to walk
- Be able to play
If the kitten is not capable of any of the above, they’re deemed still dependent on their mother. If this is the case and the kitten is alone, please get in touch with us via our helpline on 0300 1234 999.
Why Is My Cat Not Coming Back
Even though it is completely normal to get worried if your cat does not come back, you should not panic. It can happen that your cat has been injured or hit by a car, but these are not the only reasons.
If your cat is a good hunter, it can happen that its 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 its instincts, your cat might leave for a few days and come back as nothing happened.
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Sick Injured And Panicked Cats Hide In Silence
The behavior of a sick, injured, or panicked cat is that they will hide in silence. Just because the cat owner does not see or hear their cat does not mean that s/he is not right there. The lost cat could be hiding in the neighbor’s yard. If not found, the cat will likely end up in your shelter in a few months.
Cats who are afraid or injured will seek areas of concealment such as under a deck, under a house, under a porch, or in heavy brush.
Most critically, these cats will not meow. Meowing would give up their location to a predator. Their behavior has nothing to do with whether the cat loves you, recognizes your voice, or whether s/he can smell you. It has everything to do with the fact that a panicked cat will hide in silence. So just because you do not see or hear your cat does not mean that s/he is not very close to home.
How Long Can A Lost Cat Survive
This quite often happens 510 days after they have gone missing. Cats are blessed with incredible instincts to survive and have been known to return months, even years after they first went missing. Most people are generally nice, and there is quite often somebody who will look out for a cat who they think is a stray.
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They Get A Better Offer
Sadly, and frustratingly for cat owners, sometimes cats just want to be somewhere else. If your cat is happier somewhere else and gravitates towards that area, theres not much you can do to stop him/her from roaming over there.
It may be that your cat has found another home, where s/he feels more relaxed and content. Or, there could be something in your home environment that could be pushing the cat away. It may even be outside of your control, like an unruly dog in the neighbors yard.
Cats are very determined. If this has happened to your cat, but you know theyre safe and happy, then you just have to leave them be, even if it is heartbreaking for you.
Why Do Cats Want To Leave The House
First, we must consider what kind of behavior cats usually show. Generally, your feline friends are very free-willed and independent. They prefer doing whatever they want, whenever they please. Its not because cats are not smart. Cats have very high intelligence, but unlike dogs who use it to please the humans, cats simply do not care. Theyd rather do their own things instead.
Their intelligence also makes cats a very curious animal. They want to explore and to seek adventure. If you dont provide your cat with enough stimulation indoors, they will naturally seek it outside of your home. The world outside provides them with satisfaction of hunting, making friends and finding a potential mate.
In addition, compared to dogs, cats are domesticated quite further in time. Theyve only been introduced to households for about 10,000 years, while dogs have been by our side for over 30,000 years. This makes it harder to figure out how to properly discipline cats.
Thus telling your cat to stay home isnt exactly easy. They still inhabit many of their wild instincts, so its no surprise that theyd follow whenever nature calls.
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Ronnie And Reggie Visit The Pub
One evening, my husband, Richard, decided to go to the local hotel bar for an evening drink. Having made it three-quarters of the way and now on the coast road, he arrived at the hotel only to realise the two cats were with him. The owner of the hotel invited Richard in, but Richard pointed out that he had the two cats with him. The owner very kindly suggested Richard bring them into the hotel bar with him, and so he did.
Ronnie and Reggie comfortably curled up on one of the padded seats in the bar and proceeded to be petted by all the guests for the next two hours. When Richard went to leave, he simply called the cats and they willingly followed him all the way back home again, stopping at kerbs and waiting for cars to invite them to cross the roads, at which point they followed Richard trustingly over. They all arrived home safely and were none the worse for their adventure.
Ronnie Lies in Wait
How Far Do Cats Roam From Their Houses
Cats roam between 130 to 650 feet from their houses. One exception to this are farm cats who will cover a much larger area.
Cats are inclined to wander off now and then, but what exactly compels them to do this, and how can you, as a cat owner, make sure that they are safe? In this article, we will answer these questions and more.
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How To Find Your Lost Cat
Act immediately. The longer you wait, the harder it could be to find your cat. More time passing can mean the opportunity for your cat to wander further.
Form a search party and look in all areas you think your cat may be.
Start close to your home then expand your search gradually. While searching, bring along your cats favourite toy or an open can of food they love.
Tapping their food can can lure your cat to you. Listen for meowing. However, indoor cats will often hide in silence so make your search primarily visual.
If your cat normally comes to being called, call its name calmly or make familiar sounds.
Knock on neighbours doors and ask people you see in the street. You never know who may have spotted your pet cat wandering around!
Ask them to keep an eye out for your cat and provide them with your contact information in case they see the cat later on.
Searching at night can be affective as sounds can travel further .
Use a torch when searching at night or during the day in dark, small spaces. The torch can catch the cats reflective eyes.
While you are out searching, have someone stay at home in case your cat comes back. Leave your back door ajar so if your cat comes home and you are not there it can come inside. Put out your cats food and water as usual.
Animal shelters and vets can get extremely busy and they can forget to call you, so check in with them regularly to see if there is any news.
Create a lost cat poster. The poster should include:
Publishing On Missing Pet Websites
Do not hesitate to publish a message on a social media group or a missing pet website. Websites like Animal Search UK specialise in missing cats cases and works with volunteers to help you reunite with your cat.
like Lost and Found Pets UK is full of animal-loving people and can be of great help to help you find your missing cat.
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Make Friends With Your Neighbors
This is vital if you want to prevent your cat from getting lost. Being on your neighbors good side can mean the difference between your cat getting found and him/her staying lost. Unfriendly neighbors are the worst when youre looking for a lost cat, as theyre not always willing to help or check their outbuildings, etc.
If you have neighbors who dont like cats, thats OK. Theyre making friends with you, not your cats. If they trust and like you, then theyll understand your plight if you end up having to search for your cat and be more willing to help.