Some cats bring a whole new meaning to “Door Dash”. You may be surprised to learn that most cats, especially indoor cats, don’t typically go far from home. Dogs often have the energy to travel long distances; however, cats typically don’t venture as far. Many lay low for days or weeks, hiding and waiting.
While there is no guarantee that you’ll get your cat back home safe and sound, it is vital that you are equipped with the information that can help you succeed in getting kitty back.
What should I do when my cat has escaped?
First, do a very thorough home search. You’d be surprised how many cats thought to have escaped outside turn up hidden in strange nooks and crannies in their own home. After carefully searching your home, try the following tips:
- Leave your garage door cracked. Many cats like to sneak back home late at night.
- Appeal to their sense of smell. Put items with familiar scents outside. These could be articles of worn clothing, a pillowcase that has been slept on, a favorite bed or blanket.
- Lure them with food that has a strong aroma. Try foods such as tuna or sardines, as opposed to their normal food. Place it close to your front door and reheat it every now and then to keep the smell going strong.
- Search at night, when the world is asleep. Cats are nocturnal and like to be active during the night and early morning.
- Get the word out. Talk to your neighbors and make flyers with your cat’s picture (be sure to keep a current photograph handy). Use fluorescent paper and keep the words large and brief. Hang the flyers at eye level throughout your neighborhood, at local veterinary offices, and pet stores.
- Call the local shelter, give them a description of your cat and your phone number.
- Check for lost and found pet groups on social media. Many of these groups have been very successful at locating lost pets and returning them to their owner.
What if I see my cat run out the door?
First of all, stay calm and keep an even tone! Cats are drawn to the comfort of your normal voice, NOT frantically screaming their name. Don’t scream and yell, or run after them. If your cat stops to look at you, don’t look them in the eye. It’s best to kneel down and stretch out your arm calling them in a calm voice.
Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening?
You can encourage your cat to stay away from the front door with continual training. If you see your cat lying near or approaching the front door, make a loud noise, or clap your hands to shoo them away.
During training, or if your cat is just plain stubborn, put a sign by the front door to warn visitors that your cat likes to dash out and to please close the door quickly behind them.
Keep a tear away collar with an ID tag on your cat at all times. Also, have your cat microchipped in case the collar does come off. The American Veterinary Medical Association did a study on 7,700 stray dogs and cats that ended up in a shelter. Cats without a microchip were returned to their owner only 1.8% of the time, while cats WITH a microchip were returned to their owner 38.5% of the time. Microchipping represents a significant improvement in the chances that your pet will be returned home!
Most indoor cats are not equipped to handle being outside of their comfort zone and oftentimes come home immediately. For those that don’t return right away, they are likely to stay within a 5 house radius for the first few days or weeks. Don’t give up!
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Can you think of any additional tips to add? Please share your story. We’d love to hear from you!
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