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.
How do cats find their way home over long distances? Cats have up to 80 million scent receptors in their noses compared to about five million receptors in the human nose. Their sense of smell is extremely sensitive and they may be able to detect their way home through scent markers.
Cats have an instinctual homing skill that sometimes allows them to find their way back home. While there are many happy ending tales of the cat's returning home after being lost for days (or longer), this isn't always the case. However, that doesn't mean you should lose hope if your pet's gone missing.
Call your vet's office and tell them your cat is missing so they can keep an eye out for your cat. You should also contact local animal authorities, such as the animal control department and the local shelter.
In fact, the Missing Animal Response Network has found that cats will often hide for one or two weeks after becoming displaced from their territory. Yikes! They wait until they're starving before 'breaking cover', which makes things even harder for you. So don't give up.
Can Cats Find Their Way Home Years Later? Yes, cats can return home many days, weeks, months, and even years after they wandered off or were lost.
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.
You must continue to search in all ways possible and you must not give up too soon. While most pets are recovered within thirty days, cats may not "surface" for many weeks or even months. It is not unusual for for Pet FBI users to report happy reunions long after their cat went missing.
Visit your local shelters as often as you can to check if your cat is there, keeping in mind that it can take weeks before a lost cat lands at a shelter.
Cats will miss their owners when they are gone, but the response to a cat missing you may vary. Some kitties may express their sadness through purring, meowing, or following their owner around, while others may show no outward signs of sadness. Here are some common signs your cat missed you: Meowing and Crying.
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. There was evidence that physical searching increased the chance of finding the cat alive (p = 0.073), and 75% of cats were found within 500 m of the point of escape.
Lost Pet Research found that most cats go missing for between five and seven days. But some cats have found their way home after an amazing two and a half years! Usually, missing cats are found within four miles of their home, although there are reports of cats finding their way home from 80 miles away!
Cats will usually stay within a 3-4 house radius from where they went out as long as they can find a place to hide within that area. They look for the first place to hide and then they stay there (sometimes for days on end) as long as it is safe and dry.
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.
If you are sure your kitty is lost outside, get down on the ground and start searching for cozy spy holes. Look under and inside every possible hiding spot. Trust us, most cats are watching you look for them. Bushes, under porches or stairs, tucked beneath vehicles, or behind bins are some favorite lost cat spots.
I mention to folks that it's pretty rare that a cat will come when called or by shaking treats which is why we need to appeal to their sense of smell to attract them home. I suggest putting out kitty's favorite bed, blankie, or cat tree. These will be familiar scents that will appeal to kitty.
Cat hiding outside, close to home
Using an online questionnaire, they gathered information about 1,210 lost cats to determine what search methods were successful and where cats were most often found. True to Kat's experiences, the cats were typically hiding under porches, cars or other objects near their homes.
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.
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.
Many cats will hide for a long time if they are afraid, and may only be found or return home after days or even weeks so you shouldn't give up. It may take some time to find your cat but it will be worth the time and effort to have them safely home.
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.
The definitive answer is that you can leave a cat alone for up to 72 hours if you have to. If that's all you're looking for, then be on your merry way. However, you may be wondering how you can make those 72 hours bearable and safe for your cat?
The length of time you can leave a grown-up cat alone depends on the cat, his diet, and your environment. Cats who eat dry food that you can make readily available may be left on their own for 24-48 hours as long as fresh water is accessible as well.