What To Do If Your Cat Is Lost Or Goes Missing

Why do cats run away?

There are many reasons why cats run away, but here are some common ones:

●When cats are not spayed/neutered they tend to run away to find a mate.
●Cats are naturally curious beings who love to hunt and explore.
●There’s also a chance that a friendly neighbour may have just been feeding them and had let them in for cuddles.
●Worst case scenario would be the wildlife in the area may have gotten them, but it’s best to keep in mind that cats have amazing survival instincts. So stay hopeful.

Whatever the reason, it’s very common for cats to run away. So if you find yourself wondering where your cat might have wandered off to, chances are they’re actually closer than you think.

How long does it take for a lost cat to come home?

In most cases, cats won’t stay missing for very long. Even if they stay out longer than usual from time to time, they will generally come home when they’re hungry and remember that you are their meal ticket. And reassuringly, cats also have a great sense of direction.

However, if your cat is gone for longer than 12 hours or overnight, it’s time to take action.

If that’s the case, don’t panic. Simply follow these tips to bring your cat home safely and sooner rather than later.

●Create posters of your cat, make sure you include a photo that shows their distinctive markings, and when and where you last saw them. Make sure to put the posters up in the area where you last saw them.
●Ask your neighbors, going door to door may seem annoying and nerve racking if you’re not a very outgoing person but sometimes you just have to be willing to do it to find your beloved cat as soon as you can.
●Check in with your vet and the animal shelter, let them know about your situation, someone may drop off your cat there.
●Leave a bowl of cat food outside, as well as a piece of clothing you had just worn. The scent may attract your cat to come back home.
●Walk around the neighborhood with cat treats in hand, the smell and sound may help attract them. But I suggest going out at night to look for them as they could be too scared to come out during the day.
●Do a thorough search within your property such as the garage, basements, crawlspace, etc.

What are the chances of a lost cat returning home?

Most of the time cats come home on their own after an unexplained absence. 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 20% of missing cat cases. But it is best to go out and look for them for a higher chance of finding them.

Facts About Cats

●“A cat’s sense of smell is the primary way he identifies people and objects. Cats have more than 200 million odor sensors in their noses; humans have just 5 million. Their sense of smell is 14 times better than that of humans. Scientists estimate cats can smell their food from between 126 – 154 feet away (roughly a football field wide).”
●Cats are better hunters than dogs.
●“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.”
●“Cats will scent furniture and other items and people by rubbing up against them to transfer scents to mark things as theirs and outline their territory.”

Our local community facebook page has shared experiences about their lost and found cats. Some have said their cats went missing during the rough winter and were gone for 3-6 months and returned home fine. Others found their missing cats stuck inside of a neighbours shed. And some were found at local animal shelters. If you are looking for your lost cat, I understand how scary it may feel, but do not lose hope for your cat. There are many possibilities why they have gone up and left but that doesn’t mean they are not missing you just as much as you are missing them. Keep up hope and keep looking. Best of luck to you and your furbaby! 🙂