If My Cat Goes Missing?

The fact that one day the cat does not come back home is the nightmare of many cat owners. But how long do cats usually stay away and when is there a reason to worry? We have summarized the most common causes for unusually long trips for you. You'll also find helpful tips in our article on what to do if your beloved house cat goes missing.

If My Cat Goes Missing? 

How Long Does a  Cat Stay Away from Home?

Cats have a different radius that they move away from their home. While some velvet paws prefer to stay close to their humans and at most make themselves comfortable in the garden, adventurous free-rangers like to take a longer trip. So if you let your cat out of the house in the morning and it doesn't come back until the usual feeding time in the evening, this is nothing unusual.

Cat does not come home: cause for concern?

At the latest, hunger drives most adventurers back to their can openers in the evening or morning. However, it also happens that the cat once longer trips outdoors and stays away overnight or even several days.

Particularly in summer, when temperatures are mild even at night, the forays can last longer.

There is reason to be concerned if your cat is away for an unusually long time, i.e. does not return home at the usual time. Whether this is one day or several days or even weeks depends entirely on how long your pet is usually away. For older cats, cats that are sick, and cats that are just exploring the environment, there is quicker reason to worry that something may have happened to them.

Cat does not come home: probable reasons

If the cat does not come home, cat owners quickly panic. Could something have happened to the cat? Or has it possibly looked for a new home? There are many possible reasons for the disappearance of your cat, for example:

• Explorations: Younger cats in particular often go on extensive explorations that can last several hours or even days.
• Reproduction: sexually mature cats, cats in heat, and cats that have not been neutered may stay away for long periods of time as they search for mates to reproduce with.
• Territory fights: Cats defend their territory, but can also be displaced by stronger mates. This can also result in injuries from fighting.
• Injuries: Injured cats may not make it home.

• Disorientation: After a move, the cat may get lost in the new environment if it does not yet know its way around well enough.
• Trapped: Cats are curious and like to peek into sheds, garages or barns. In doing so, they are often overlooked and trapped, leaving them stuck for several hours or days.

• Voluntary Relocation: Free-roaming cats are often fed by other people or find a new home where they feel more comfortable.

What to do when the cat is gone?

As soon as your house cat has not returned home for an unusually long time, it's time to start looking. A few tips and tricks can help attract and find the missing cat faster.

Call the cat by its familiar name or nickname. Be sure to call in a normal and gentle tone, as panicked calls may frighten the pet.

Search the immediate area, especially basements, garages, sheds and barns, as well as other possible hiding places or traps.

Ask your neighbors if they have seen the animal. Also ask if anyone feeds the cat occasionally, as outside feeding could be a reason for the disappearance.

Make notices in your neighborhood. Remember to include a photo of your four-legged friend, your name and phone number. Also ask the bakery, supermarket, or veterinarian if you can post the notice.

Inform the local animal welfare associations and animal shelters in case your cat is handed in there as a found animal. If your velvet paw is chipped and registered, also inform the respective pet registry.

Advertisements in the local newspaper, as well as posts on social media, can help you find your pet again. Ask friends and acquaintances to share the message.

How can you prevent the disappearance of your cat?

To prevent your cat from going missing in the first place, you can take some safety precautions. While this won't keep your feline from the excursions and dangers of the wild, it will make it easier to find your pet.

• Microchip implant: get your cat chipped and registered while he's still a kitten so he can be safely returned to you if someone finds him.
• Neutering: be sure to have free-roaming cats neutered. Neutered cats are often less likely to run away because they don't have reproductive urges. You'll also prevent unwanted offspring.
• GPS trackers for cats: With a GPS tracker, you can track your pet at every turn. This way you know where it roams and can find it again more easily.
• Training methods: Get your cat used to listening to a certain call or sound. This can be practiced by clicker training, for example, so that the cat reacts in an emergency and comes home at the learned signal.
• Acclimatization period: After a move or when the cat has just moved in, do not let it run free immediately. The animal must first slowly get used to the new environment so that it can move there safely and find its way back home.

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