Can Cats Find Their Way Home If Lost?
When a pet goes missing, it can be a very stressful time. While there is no guarantee that your pet will be found, the best way to ensure your cat will come home is to keep searching and remain hopeful until you find him or her!
Can cats find their way back home if lost?
There are several factors that determine whether or not a lost pet will return to their owners, but there is some evidence that cats can find their way home if they are lost. Some of the things that may help a cat find their way home include their personality, the location of their hiding place, their age and how well they know their surroundings.
Your cat will also need to be fed. If they are missing for any length of time, they will likely be starving and will want to eat. This is why it is important to feed them before you begin a search.
They will be able to detect the smell of your food, which will help them to locate the location of your home. Besides their sense of smell, they can use their hearing to locate you as well.
You will need to be careful when conducting your search because they can be frightened by your approach and won’t emerge until they feel comfortable enough to do so. It is a good idea to conduct your search in a calm and systematic manner, as it will give the cat time to relax and make them more likely to answer your calls.
Start with your immediate neighborhood and work outward from there. This will help you to cover more ground, and your cat might be hiding in an area that isn’t immediately visible to you.
It is a good idea to enlist the help of friends and neighbors in your search. Have them check under porches and garages and in other places where your cat might be hiding.
Ask them to call for your cat by name. Research has shown that lost cats can recognize their humans’ voices, even if they are unfamiliar.
Post signs and flyers throughout the area where your cat might have been lost, including local animal shelters, veterinarians’ offices, bus stops, laundromats and schools. It’s a good idea to hang them from doorknobs as well.
Get the word out to your community
One of the most effective ways to spread the word about your cat is to post it on social media. Facebook and Instagram are great places to do this, but you can also contact other lost pet organizations in your community.
If you can’t afford to pay for ads, you can simply ask your neighbors if they would be willing to put up posters on their properties that say “lost cat.” This can help spread the word.
You might also consider posting on Nextdoor, a social network that is used to share news and events with members of the community. Often, the members of the Nextdoor group who live in the same area as you can be the most helpful in spreading the word about your pet.
