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].
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.
It is true that cats do come home on their own after an unexplained absence. Looking through years of case records of hundreds of missing cats, the number one way cats are found is that they simply come home in about twenty percent of missing cat cases.
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.
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.
Most of the time, after their amble, your cat will come back home without you being aware of their secret life.
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. Don't panic.
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.
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.
Shaking a food dish, treat jar or favorite toy will sometimes lure animals out of a hiding place. If they are outside, cook up something smelly on your grill, bacon or liverwurst; something that might bring your cat home for dinner! Open the windows of your house and get the house smells outside.
Cats often go 'missing' and then turn up a short while later. So give them a little time and remember that in general most cats do not go far. But if your cat has got lost you cannot rely on them to find their own way home, so you need to take action. Think positively, keep looking and don't give up hope.
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.
Outdoor cats tend to live an average of two to five years, sometimes longer. In contrast, indoor cats can live to be 17 years or older. The average life expectancy for indoor cats, however, is closer to 14 years.
Do cats remember people? Cats possess excellent long-term memories. They can recall their animal companions and the people who feed them as well as those who irritate them.
Cats which have regular access to the outside travel longer distances than indoor only cats which run away. 61% of cats are found alive within 1 year of going missing, with only 34% of cats found alive within 7 days. Highly curious cats are more likely to be found in the home of another person.
It's not unusual for cats to go 'missing' from time to time. Sometimes they may disappear for a few hours, other times you may not see them for a day or two. It's important to understand that these vanishing acts are perfectly normal. Felines, by their nature, are adventurous animals.
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.
A common misconception is that all lost cats will always find their way back home, which is true most of the time. Sometimes, however, a cat's strong sense of smell is not enough to help them find their way, which might result in your cat getting lost.
Even if you have a cat that usually has free reign of the outdoors, keep them inside for a few weeks so they can familiarise themselves with being home again.
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.
Ask any cat owner: there is nothing quite as pathetic – or demanding – as a cat who feels cold. Outdoor kitties will seek out warm, sunny spots or huddle together in dry places for companionship and heat. In winter, you may find them sheltering in parking garages or more public structures for warmth.
As a general rule, vets advise against allowing your cat to stay outdoors without a warm place to retreat when the average daily temperature is lower than 45°F. That's average, not one-time. If it's been 55°F all day but dips to 44°F during the night? That's probably okay.
"Just as you would if you were in pain or sad about something, sometimes cats just need time and for someone to love them," she tells Daily Paws. Your cat won't shed a tear over one less treat, but he might cry when he's lonely or mourning a family member.
When a cat loses a companion, whether animal or human, she most certainly grieves and reacts to the changes in her life. Cats alter their behavior when they mourn much like people do: They may become depressed and listless.
When an indoor cat is lost or displaced, its primary instinct would be to protect itself by looking for a hiding place and stay there without making a sound. Meowing would give away his location to would-be predators, so it wouldn't meow, even if it hears you calling.