Key takeaways
When your furry family member returns home after a long time away, you may not know what to do.
However, it's important we take the right action to help them adjust to their usual home life again.
We're offering our top tips and 4 steps to take to ensure you have a happy reunion with your furry friend before detailing how to prevent your kitty from going missing again.
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4 Things to do when your lost cat returns home
1. Cuddles!
Preparing a peaceful room that they can relax in: In this room, include familiar-smelling blankets, toys, and clothing as well as treats, food, water, and a litter box.
Giving them plenty of love: It's important to respect your cat's boundaries, but it's also important to show them just how much you love them. Cuddles, scratches, and treats will all be appreciated!
Keep your house quiet: Even though they have returned, they may be more skittish than usual. This means there's a risk of them running away again. Avoid having visitors over or making any loud noises. Keep their environment as relaxed and quiet as possible to help them feel secure and safe.
Even though they have returned, they may be more skittish than usual. This means there's a risk of them running away again.
2. Grooming
Their nails clipping: When a cat's claws become too long, they can curl and dig into their paws, causing infections. They can also get stuck on certain materials, risking them being pulled out. Keeping them nice and short is the safest and most comfortable option for your kitty.
Their coat brushing: A good brush will usually clean your cat's coat enough to avoid a bath. It will also help get rid of any mats that, if left, can become painful. If your kitty is particularly dirty or dusty, you may need to brush their coat, too.
De-fleaing: Living outside is the perfect place to pick up a nasty infestation of fleas. These can be uncomfortable for your cat and, if left untreated, can also infest your house, making it nearly impossible to get rid of them!
3. Check them over for injuries
Excessive licking: Licking one particular spot repetitively can be a sign that your cat is trying to self-soothe or heal themselves. Check the area for any signs of soreness.
Excessive vocalization: Yowling, meowing, and hissing can also be signs that your kitty is in pain. Interestingly, purring can also indicate an injury, as cats will do this in an attempt to soothe themselves.
Hiding: When cats are injured or sick, they are vulnerable. This means instinctually, they will seek isolated and secluded places to keep themselves safe. So, if your kitty is hiding in the house, they may be suffering.
Limping: A more obvious sign of injury is limping when walking or holding a paw up when sitting. If this is the case, check their paws for infection or cuts. If you can't see anything, it may be more likely to be a break.
Reduced appetite and sleeping more: Cats are unlikely to eat or drink or be generally active if they are injured or sick.
4. Book a vet visit
Signs of infection
Signs of disease
Injury
Malnourishment
Dehydration
How to prevent them from getting lost again
Get your cat microchipped
Your address
Your contact number
Your name
Keep them indoors
You live in a busy area, like a city
You live on a main road or near a main road
Your cat has never had experience outdoors
You have a particularly skittish cat or frightened cat
Mental stimulation: As cat owners know, our kitties are very intelligent animals. This means they need sufficient mental stimulation to prevent boredom and subsequent anxiety. Playing with them, training them, and ensuring they have different areas of the house will be enough for most cats!
Physical stimulation: Cats love to run, jump, and climb. They are agile creatures, and being cooped up in a small flat or house with nowhere to explore can cause distress. Playing with wind-up mice and laser toys can help ensure your cat gets their fair exercise.
Company: Without the endless adventures of the great outdoors and various other cats and people your kitty will come across, they can get a little lonely. This is especially important to consider if you work away from home for most of the day. While cats are independent animals, they shouldn't be left alone every day. Ensure you spend plenty of quality time with them!
Train them
1.
Supervise your cat outside: Accompany your cat outside and stay together in a secure area, like a garden.
2.
Call them back to you: While outside, call them back to you every few minutes and give them a treat. Use the same recall word every time.
3.
Give them dinner: Only stay outside for a maximum of 15 minutes and time it with their dinner. When you call them back inside, immediately put their food down.
4.
Repeat: Repeat this every day while slowly increasing the time spent outside. Eventually, you'll feel confident enough to let them out on their own.
Opt for a GPS tracker
FAQs
Do cats come back home after they run away?
Many cats will come back home after running away. Once their adrenaline has worn off, they will seek the safety of their home, often being able to find their way using their sense of smell and sensitivity to the Earth's electromagnetic field.
How long can a cat be missing and still come home?
[A cat can be missing for days, weeks, months, and even, in some cases, years before wandering home and settling back into their normal routine.
How long should I keep my cat in after being lost?
If your cat has returned home after being lost, you should keep them inside for a week or two to help them adjust to home life before venturing outside again. This will help them recognize the house as their territory.
Do cats know when they're lost?
Yes, cats will know when they are lost. Cats usually have a large territory, and when they find themselves outside of this, they can get disoriented and confused. The lack of familiar smells and sights make it difficult for your cat to navigate their way home, this is called becoming displaced.
How far can cats find their way home?
Outdoor/indoor cats can find their way home from far away as they will usually have very large territories. However, an indoor cat will struggle to navigate their way home after they have stopped being able to smell the familiar smells of the house.
How long can a house cat survive outside?
A house cat may be able to survive outside for months and sometimes even years if they are able to find warm shelter and food. However, during the winter, or in a busy area like a city center, this is less likely.
Final thoughts
Written by
In this blog, I combine my two areas of expertise: pets and writing. I share my personal experiences alongside plenty of animal behavior research to help owners look after their pets. I have always lived with furry friends and am now a loving cat mum to two orange kitties.
