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.
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.
The number one method that was the most successful in recovering a missing cat was conducting a physical search of the area. The median distance found (how far the cats traveled) for missing outdoor-access cats was 315 meters (344 yards). This is roughly a 17-house radius from their owner's home.
Cats live in the moment and don't see time in the same way we do. They don't have a concept of the past or future, so won't be thinking of you when you're away, wondering what you're up to or where you've gone. They'll only remember you when you show up again and they recognise your familiar smell or sounds.
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 retrospective case series was conducted where self-selected participants whose cat had gone missing provided data in an online questionnaire. Of the 1210 study cats, only 61% were found within one year, with 34% recovered alive by the owner within 7 days. Few cats were found alive after 90 days.
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.
Felines are able to see more clearly when objects are near them, but not close to them. The eyes of a domestic cat are extremely large in proportion to the rest of their skull, which makes it difficult for them to focus on things closer than 12 inches from them.
But we do know that cats have a homing instinct. A homing instinct is the ability for animals to navigate through unfamiliar territory back to their home. In addition to cats, a number of different animals have homing instincts, including birds, bees and salmon. This homing ability works differently for each species.
Do cats actually miss their owners? Yes, they do. The cats miss the owners whenever they are away or have been detached from the owner. They notice the absence of all the showered love their owners have left for them.
Try vets and shelters, but don't rely on them While searching will most likely be the key to finding your cat, it's still worth calling nearby vets and visiting pounds and shelters every few days, if only to give you some peace of mind that you are doing everything you can.
Whether you have a picky eater loafing about or your cat has suddenly had an appetite change—you might wonder how long cats can go without food. Cats can go without food for two weeks and without water for three days.
It's important to understand that these vanishing acts are perfectly normal. Felines, by their nature, are adventurous animals. Their innate curiosity can see them wander away from home as they explore their surroundings, satisfying that predatory instinct.
And for most of the time, cats that go outside of their homes tend to be just around the corner — literally. 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.
Check everything; inside dustbins, water butts, compost bins, outside storage boxes and under hedges. While you're searching, take time to stop and listen for the sound of scratching or faint meows. If you still cannot find them, ask your immediate neighbours to check their garages, sheds, and greenhouses.
Some cats may walk miles each night in search of a meal or patrolling the borders of their territory. Estimates of feral cat territory sizes range from two to 1,000+ acres.
Scientists estimate cats can smell their food from between 126 – 154 feet away (roughly a football field wide). No wonder your cat comes running to their bowl before you've even put it down! However, we do know that cats noses have a “secret superpower”. All cats have a dual scent mechanism.
The strange part of all of this is that cats actually view people as fellow cats. Some researchers believe cats look at us as big, slow, clumsy, uncoordinated cats, but others say they're not quite so judgemental. The good thing is, whether or not they're judging our balance and agility, they still love us!
Cat owners are often encouraged to slowly blink or wink their eyes (e.g. sleepy eyes) when directly looking toward their cats. This sends a message that you are not a threat and they should not be alarmed. However, cats always prefer their owners using their peripheral vision to look at them rather than a direct gaze.
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.
Most cats, when feeling overwhelmed or lost, will hide instead of run. They can spend long periods of time in one area moving from hiding spot to hiding spot. Therefore, it can be valuable to re-check areas you have already searched.
Try not to panic. 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.
Stress. Stress is another common reason why cats run away. Cats are creatures of habit – they don't like changes in the household or to their routine.
Smell. Cats have a great sense of smell, and they're big fans of spreading their personal scent. 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.