Whether they disappear for a few hours or for good, losing a pet cat is a horror story for any fur parent. Statistics show that 15% of cats run away from home at some point. Although the majority of these come back or are found, the emotional turmoil an owner experiences is no joke. Not to mention the cat’s confusion and helplessness it experiences especially if getting lost was not its intention.
Most fur babies live comfortable lives with their owners, having a roof above their heads and daily food at the minimum. Additionally, they have fascinating homing skills that lead them back, including their strong sense of smell and territorial instinct. So what drives them to leave?
7 Reasons Why Cats Run Away from Home
Here is a list of possible reasons for cats running away from their homes and tips on how to avoid them from happening:
Lookin’ for the Ladies or Mr. Right (Meow)
When in heat, typically every three weeks during mating season, female cats release pheromones that attract male cats from miles away. Both male and female cats make the trek, following instincts that drive them to ensure genetic diversity within the species.
There’s just no stoppin’ when the pheromones go a-callin’.
How to prevent it: Spaying and neutering decreases the chances of turning your pets into a Romeo or Juliet wannabe when they reach maturity. Your friendly neighborhood vet can help you with this. Additionally, some people raise their pets indoors with lots of mental stimulation to keep them preoccupied. Just pay closer attention if and when their heat comes.
Gone Hunting
Being natural-born hunters, a cat will exhibit solitary predator behavior despite domestication. Even well-fed cats have a strong urge to hunt because the act provides them with sensory stimulation and a feeling of control over their environment. Unfortunately, being too focused on their prey— like rodents, birds, or insects— can lead them too far out.
How to prevent it: Felines are crepuscular hunters, meaning the drive to hunt strikes mostly during dawn and dusk when you’re still asleep or not around. Giving them interactive toys or puzzle feeders can help quell the need to hunt outside. You can also try creating a safe outdoor enclosure, or a catio, for your outdoor cats. Or try some supervised outdoor time for indoor cats to satisfy their hunting instincts without straying too far from home.
Expanding the Empire
Cats are territorial creatures, marking their space with their scent and urine to defend their food, home, and mates. However, a new environment or the presence of unfamiliar animals— including other cats— may prompt your own to explore and assert dominance near borders and beyond. This drive to explore past their usual territory allows them to gather information about their environment, potential threats, and resources. Sometimes, though, it’s too late when they realize they’re “not in Kansas anymore”.
How to prevent it: Engaging your cat with toys and scratching posts, plus sticking to a routine, isn't just about fun—it's a smart way to keep them happy and reduce territorial wars. By catering to these instincts, stress is avoided and pets are content.
Curiosity Called the Cat
Venturing too far from home may also be caused by a cat’s innate curiosity. Despite domestication, many cats retain their wild side’s drive to explore new sights, sounds, and smells. While endearing, this trait poses some risks if your pet explores too far into unfamiliar territory. Imagine the dangers: busy roads, aggressive animals, harsh weather conditions, and more.
How to prevent it: The thrill of discovering something new keeps cats engaged and mentally stimulated. In addition to toys, scratching posts, and interactive play, microchipping and proper identification with collars and tags can mitigate the problem of losing your too-curious cat.
Fearful Fluffy
Being naturally sensitive and perceptive has its ups and downs for your furry friends. On the downside, your pets might become overwhelmingly stressed. They might seek to escape situations like drastic changes in their environment or toxic housemates (be they humans or other pets).
How to prevent it: Be gentle with anxious cats. Create a safe, quiet space where they can feel comfortable and secure. If you move to a new home, don’t forget to bring their bed and toys that already have their scent. Introduce pets and people gradually and with positive reinforcement (like careful pats and treats), allowing them to get used to the new characters at their own pace.
It will also help to keep a daily routine for feeding, playtime, and litter box cleaning. You can also try calming pheromone diffusers for anxious cats.
Chairman of the Bored
Not every cat has the chance to expend its pent-up energy with regular outdoor excursions (like the guy who posted his cat’s outdoor adventures as recorded by a tiny collar camera). Sometimes, too, owners don’t have the time to play with their pets, leading to boredom and frustration.
How to prevent it: Aside from regularly spending more time with your pet and providing interactive toys, you can install vertical spaces in your home. Try window perches, and cat trees to satisfy their natural urge to survey their territory from a high vantage point. You may also consider adopting another cat.
Muffin on the Mend
It’s a cat’s wild instinct to hide when they’re ill or injured because they want to avoid predators in their vulnerable state. A sick cat might seek a secluded place away from home to rest and recover in solitude, preferring a more comfortable place.
Another not-so-health issue is if your female feline is about to give birth, preferring to look for a safer and more conducive place to nest. These spaces are usually hidden as protection for the arriving kittens.
How to prevent it: Don’t neglect your pet’s regular trips to the vet, especially if they’re becoming more reclusive or sickly. Ensure your cat has a proper collar, or have it microchipped if it has a habit of leaving. Most of all, give it its own comfortable space with soft bedding where it can retreat when recovering or giving birth.
When You Lose Little Lucky
Becoming emotional might be one of your first reactions, but taking prompt and systematic actions can significantly increase the chances of finding your beloved feline friend.
- Search your home thoroughly, looking in small, unexpected places like closets, under beds, inside boxes, and the like. They may be trapped somewhere so listen for meowing.
- When you’ve established that your pet isn’t inside, search your yard and your neighborhood. Bring along a flashlight even if it’s daytime to check dark or covered areas like under porches, bushes, or cars.
- Notify your neighbors by providing them with a description and a recent photo. Ask them to check their property as well.
- Leave some of your cat’s belongings, such as its bed and litter box, outside to attract them with familiar scents.
- Create and distribute flyers with a clear photo of your cat, a description, and your contact information. Distribute these in your neighborhood, local vet offices, pet stores, and community centers.
- Use the power of social media to your advantage. You might want to join lost and found pet groups and community pages. Pet recovery websites can help spread the word to a broader audience.
- Visit and inform animal shelters and rescue groups to check if your cat has been brought in as descriptions over the phone may not be accurate at times.
- Follow up and be persistent. Make sure your contact information is updated with the microchip company if applicable.
- Stay positive. It may take weeks or months to locate your cat so keep up your efforts.
We hope this information has helped you. Remember, with the right knowledge and actions, you can keep your beloved pet safe and sound.
