It is quite common for cats to run away from home, sometimes for short periods during the day or even for a few days. Nevertheless, this reflects the typical behaviour found in all the felines. However, a pet parent might get anxious if their kitten goes missing longer than usual. The first step of finding a lost cat would be instant. Knowing why the cat escaped can help increase the speed of the search. Lets, get into the reason and expert tips about how to find a lost cat?
Why Do Cats Run Away from Home?
Sometime felines tend to drift away from homes, in a situation disturbs them, or there are many reasons for it. Here is some of reasons for why cats run away.
Hunting
The most common reason a cat goes missing can be a result of the cat’s hunting instincts. Though cats being domesticated and get to have homely experiences, they barely give up their hunting instincts. Hunting dwells deep into the behaviour of cats as they are natural hunters. It often causes felines to leave their homes to fulfil their urge to hunt and stalk their prey.
Mating
The cats that haven’t been spayed or neutered are more prone to getting away from their homes. Another primary reason for cats escaping from their homes is mating. It is commonly seen in kittens and most prominently amongst males who tend to leave their homes searching for a mate. It is natural amidst the reproductive period or mating season when the cats are more observant of their surroundings and are constantly looking for a mate. This prompts pets to wander to nearby areas searching for a mate and even to farther away places in adverse situations.
Pregnancy
Cats during pregnancy tend to seek more alone time and leave their homes. Similar behaviour can also observed in female cats that flee during the reproductive period or pregnancy. During their final stages of pregnancy, female cats relocate to new locations that they find safe for delivery and free from any disturbance.
Curiosity
Like any other individual, curiosity is one driving force that impels cats to explore the outside world. However, cats might have some good time exploring the outside world till their extended curiosity leads them to dangerous encounters. Curiosity also plays a motivating factor in great cat escapes. In such cases, the cat might not be running away from home but instead stuck in some problematic situation.
Terrestrial Differences
Bringing home a new pet can be a bit disturbing for a cat. It may cause territorial differences between the cat and other members of the family but also forces them to drift away from the family. The cat might need some time to adjust to the changes caused by the presence of the new member. Also, the cat might feel less appreciated, due to which it runs away from the home if not taken care of.
How to Find A Lost Indoor Cat?
To find a lost indoor cat, one must start at home and work outwards. One might never know how close the missing cat could be if it happens to hide inside the house or somewhere nearby. So, to be on the safer side, the quest for the missing cat must begin from the house. Most of the time, cats tend to find hiding within a house. At any dark and warm corner of the house or a cozy spot such as inside a closet. This usually happens if there are many people in the house and cats hide in tiny corners and tight-fitting places to have a sense of security.
The missing cat might be hiding or have gotten stuck. The best way to look for hiding kittens is to search outside yet close to home, especially in the porch, deck, or garage, on a tree or near trash bins. If not inside the house, cats typically hide in proximity to the home. According to experts, those cats that go missing generally hide within 500 meters of their home.
How to Find a Missing Cat That Got Out?
You may wonder where do cats hide outside? its your near building or very close to you. If the missing cat is not found inside the house, it is likely to have lost its way. It is an indication to start an immediate search for the cat right away. The most hopeful way is to call out for the cat by its name and hang in for a while, listening quietly if any reaction comes from the opposite side. Lost kittens can be found by looking in the neighbourhood or with in surrounding.
You can also seek the help of friends and neighbours for active physical search of the missing cat. Knowing the hiding spots of the cat can prove to be of additional benefit as the cat might be hiding in its usual hiding spot in or near the locality. Additionally, one can also try searching for a lost cat after nightfall as cats feel safer to move out of their hiding in the dark.
Tips for Finding Lost Cat
To keep cats from escaping, one must know and understand the cause of their escape and try to keep them indoors.
- Neutering or spaying: Neutering or spaying the cats not only protects them from illness and prevents unwanted behaviour but is also likely to reduce their possibilities of running away.
- Using GPS tracker: Pet parents can also rely on microchips or GPS trackers to watch their pets while being far away and monitor their real-time activities. Make sure to check tips for how to find a lost cat with a microchip before you start searching.
- Using accessories as identity mark: Other than that, adjustable scarves, neckpieces or collars can help find a lost kitten as these accessories would serve as identification marks.
- Paying attention: Also, distractions can play a good role in preventing cats from escaping. Paying attention to your pet, offering new toys and giving them time, love and care would make them feel comfortable enough to stay at home.
- Offering rewards: By offering delicious cat treats, cozy personalized cat bed and a good quality enclosure would surely motivate cats to remain and enjoy their stay inside the house.
How Do Cats Come Back Home After Running Away?
- Homing instinct: Fortunately, cats possess homing instinct. Cats use their homing ability to perceive directions to return to their places. So, just in case a cat hides away from home or goes missing, there still are possibilities that it would find its way home.
- PSI trailing: Cats can also find their owners even from distant places they have never been before. PSI trailing enables cats to reunite with their owners when separated.
- Personality: For some felines, personality plays a vital role in their ability to return home. Cats that are pretty bold and confident tend to return to their places and even respond to calls of their owners.
Conclusion
Looking for a lost cat might seem to be a heavy-duty task and almost impossible to accomplish. Though it might also require a lot of time and hard work, giving up too early should never be an option. If one knows their cat well, it will likely be found soon enough after the search operation begins. And not to forget, one can, at any time, seek the professional help of cat detectives or pet investigators.