In this article, we will answer the following question: Will my cat come back if I let him outside? We will give you 7+ tips on how to make your cat stay home and how to help it come back if it is lost.
Will my cat come back if I let him outside?
There is a very small probability that your cat will come back if you let him outside. Some people still believe that cats know how to find their way home, however, this belief is not only false, it is also dangerous. There is no scientific evidence or study to show that felines have the innate ability to return home and, unfortunately, that causes many domestic cats to get lost every day.
In addition, a cat that escapes is exposed to numerous risks in the street, such as fights, accidents, diseases, parasites, etc. For this reason, it is essential to take the pertinent preventive measures, in order to prevent the feline from escaping.
The idea that cats have an infallible sense of direction is almost as widespread as the belief that they have seven lives. However, although a feline can be absent from home and return without problems, it can also happen that he does not return.
When cats are lost, they return home in most cases. Unfortunately, when a cat does not return, it can bring the worst news. The street involves many dangers, your cat may have been stolen (especially if it is a pedigree cat), or it has been run over.
For this reason, the best thing to do is prevent it, prevent it from escaping from home, and if you have access to the outside, attach the microchip, very similar to that of dogs, and an identification plate, in addition to sterilizing it.
If your cat is coming home after running for one or more days, it’s important to take it to the vet for a full checkup. It may have had a confrontation with another stray cat and have injuries or been infected with a viral disease. Also, when he gets home, offer him rest, water, and food, as he may not have eaten in days and feel stressed.
When a cat does not return home, it can become a very distressing situation for an awaiting family. In most cases, a lost cat returns home, but if not, apply the tips on how to get a cat home as soon as possible so that you can find it in time.
In addition, you must take into account the reasons for their escapes and try to limit the behavior if you do not want your cat to be exposed to the dangers of the streets, both possible accidents, and contracting diseases.
My cat is lost, will he be able to go home alone?
Felines have great intelligence and their senses are highly developed. Thanks to this they can move comfortably and orient themselves well within their closest environment. If it is common for the cat to walk around your neighborhood, it is more likely that it has a well-identified path home.
Also, when lost, cats try to track them back. How do they do that? They usually look for the marks they have left behind, such as the smell of urine or their own pheromones.
However, outside the safety of the home they face different risks such as fights, accidents, or illnesses, it is even possible that due to hunger, they rummage through the garbage and mistakenly take some toxic food for themselves. Unfortunately, nothing can guarantee that in the event that it escapes, it will return.
What to do if our cat does not return home
If you see that your cat has disappeared or does not return home after two or three hours, do not lose your head. Go around your area in case you see it and notify the nearest protector. At best, if he’s male, he’s just flirting around the neighborhood.
If he has been away for more than 18 or 24 hours, you may start to think that maybe he is lost or has had a setback. What you can do in such circumstances is:
Make flyers or posters to post around the neighborhood. This is always helpful. Ideally, distribute them to veterinarians and the most popular stores in your neighborhood.
Social media is another sounding board that can be of great help. Share the notice on all your social networks and ask your friends to spread it to achieve the widest possible reach. The more times it is shared, the more likely someone will find it.
Get in touch with the volunteers in your neighborhood. This way they will be on alert and can help you in the search process.
Many newspapers have a special section to run search ads for stray dogs or cats.
Being prepared for such cases can make a difference. But, as the saying goes, “prevention is always better than cure”. To avoid having to go through this bad drink, take into account a series of tips.
Tips to prevent a cat from running away
While it is almost impossible to foresee how our cat will act, it will be more unlikely that it will escape if:
Its atmosphere is pleasant. When the cat is comfortable at home it is very difficult for it to want to escape. Nothing like offering her own space, a well-groomed litter box, and an area reserved for her feeding. In addition, it is essential to put at your disposal some places for you to exercise. The more bored she is at home, the more she will want to go outside, so try not to make that happen.
You give them love. Set aside time to play with your pussycat. If they feel loved, they won’t want to be anywhere else. In addition to pampering and caressing, remember to provide them with a good diet and worry about their health. That’s too darling!
They are sterilized. This procedure helps prevent felines from being tempted to wander outside the home.
Neutering is the most effective measure to prevent or reduce behaviors related to the cat’s sexual desire and, therefore, slows its urge to run away. Before choosing this option, consult your trusted veterinarian.
In the event that you have not been able to prevent him from leaving the house once, teach him to return with prizes. Offering him a treat or a toy will help keep him from wanting to be away for too long. Another way is to say two or three affectionate words to him and play with him.
The possibility of it getting away or lost is always there. Therefore, it is advisable to be aware of their habits and needs. Well, tell us: does your cat usually take longer walks than usual? Have you ever been afraid that you wouldn’t know how to get home?
Why do cats leave their home?
The first thing is to know the reasons that make our cat be tempted to leave the house in order to avoid it on future occasions. Cats are very intelligent, independent, curious animals with a strong hunting instinct, which is why the street is a very stimulating world for them.
Here are the reasons that can lead your cat to be an escapist:
- The desire to reproduce
During the reproductive season, both males and females show a strong desire to reproduce. During the days when a female is in heat, her only objective will be to find a mate and she will want to go out for her, in addition to vocalizing and meowing to warn all the males in the area.
On the other hand, males that can feel females nearby in heat will want to go out looking for them with great insistence.
For this reason, it is best to sterilize to avoid escapism and unwanted litters (in addition to many other dangers), but if you do not consider this idea, during the mating season try to take extreme security measures so that neither your cat and / or female cat can escape.
- To explore and hunt
As we have mentioned, cats maintain a very wild hunting behavior, even being a domesticated animal. For your cat, it will be very exciting to go chasing mice or birds.
- To eat street food
She may receive all the love in the world at home and you may feed her the best feed on the market, but if she comes across a “food bank” for street kittens, she can create a routine of visiting frequently for fun. It is also common for someone in the neighborhood or in a business to greet your cat when they see it walking down the street and make some pampering, from that moment it can be a regular visitor.
- Stress at home
If your cat has never run away from home and since there has been a change, it does so frequently, it may be stressed. Study the situation, if a new member has arrived in the family, children, work at home, etc. Your cat may want to avoid being at home so you should worry about re-establishing a calm environment at home. And if not, try taking a walk with him.
Remember, if you want to help your cat come home
Now that you know the reasons that lead your cat to go out, you can prevent it, although we will give you some tips on how to make a cat come home. Normally, cats return home after a few hours on the road, but if this time the situation lasts longer than normal and my cat does not return home, you can do the following to help you:
Go out to find it. If your cat has been away from home for more than 24 hours, you should prepare an operation and go looking for it. Ask for help from family and friends and go around the whole neighborhood, don’t leave any corner. Look for it both during the day and at night, since at night is its busiest time. A good idea is to stick posters in case someone sees it, even a neighbor may have caught it thinking it was a street cat.
Leave open access at home. For safety, in this case, someone must stay home waiting for your return.
Place your belongings at the door of the house. He may be disoriented and can’t find his way back so if you put his blanket or litter box on the door he can recognize the smell and go home.
Notify the police. Give the notice to the police and animal protection societies, someone may find it and contact them first if they have not seen your posters.
Announce it through social networks. Put an ad on social media to spread it beyond your neighborhood and create a wider alarm.
Offer a reward. As selfish as it may seem, offering a financial reward to whoever finds it will create more interest in their showing up. Also, if it has been stolen, it may be returned to you.
If you have additional tips that may help our fellow cat owners to bring their cat back, please let us know!
References
Vcahospitals.com
Surepetcare.com
Care.com
