There are a number of strategies to try.
- Enter your garden and name call (brightly) at regular intervals – every hour or more often. This is especially important in the early evening and beyond dusk. Do not be disheartened if your cat does not return immediately.
- You can expand this action to the outer borders of the known territory – streets, gardens, woods and so on.
- Clink a plate on the doorstep or ground outside at regular intervals – say, every two hours – and leave out a small morsel of strong-smelling food.
- Do not stand and watch unless from a discreet position as your cat will be able to see you and this may deter its return.
If you own a garden shed or bench, you can use this space to entice your cat home. Set a cat carrier or strong cardboard box on its side (keep the flaps) with a worn item of your old clothing inside so that your cat will recognize your scent. Place the box in the open shed, underneath it or under the bench. Observe the following guidelines:
- Do not use a carrier normally utilized for visits to the veterinary surgery as this may have a negative association for your cat.
- The cardboard box should not be too large – just big enough to support your curled-up cat, with the entrance hole just large enough to allow it to get in and out.
- The worn item will represent a scent link to you and act as a comfort blanket for your cat.
- It is important to ask your neighbours not to offer your cat shelter, interaction, food or play. Any offer of refuge away from your home may prove too attractive to counter.
Your cat’s eventual return may depend on the weather, its personality and the availability of outside resources:
- If the weather is mild, warm and dry, a cat can survive for long periods away from home.
- If your cat has a feral background (this applies to many adopted cats) or has a strong hunter personality, then survival for long periods outdoors, even in poor and inhospitable weather, is possible, so bear this in mind and don’t give up hope that it will never return.
- If your cat has found shelter and is a good hunter or is being fed by other people, these important resources for survival will extend its absence. Cats can remain outdoors for long periods – often several weeks – before eventually returning home.
How to turn fickle felines into mild-mannered dolls…
Kingdom of Pets :: Complete Cat Training
25 responses so far ↓
1 The Dog // Aug 10, 2007 at 12:19 pm
The easiest trick I have for getting a wandering cat to return home is so simple, I am surprised it is not included here.
Microwave a bowl of cat food for one minute at medium setting. Place the bowl just outside the door you want your cat to come back inside.
As the aroma of the hot food wafts through the air, if the cat is at least 100 feet away, he or she is bound to return.
Works everytime for me.
2 Pip // May 1, 2008 at 5:28 pm
we have been in a new house for almost 5 months and our five yr old cat has wandered back to our old place 3 times just recently how do we keep him happy and and make him want to stay at our new place?
we thought he had settled in ? i guess not
please help us ? what should we do ….
3 Chris // Jul 28, 2008 at 6:50 am
My 11 year old neutered ginger tom has always been a wanderer during the hot summer months. I hate it when he disappears and go out looking for him, sometimes with success, taking food with me. He goes in local fields and has been spotted about 3 miles away. He is away at the moment, 13 nights so far, and I hate it, can’t sleep and am worried sick. I just want him home.
4 Tracy // Aug 9, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I have a similar problem to the other listers – moved house recently not far but both cats seemed to be alright then after 5 days of the move the male neutered cat disappeared. His sister is fine no problems but just about given up now it has been 2 weeks and it is unusual for him to be gone that long. Where we used to live he was an avid catcher or voles and mice and so could cope with being outdoors but it isn’t nice knowing if he is dead or alive. I have tried everything council refuse, vets and rescue centres, neighbours and return visits to our old home, even newspaper and radio (local). Nobody has come forward he has just gone and i find it very upsetting. He isn’t a young cat, middle aged but its the not knowing. Also not sure what to tell the children how can you mourn something which may not be dead and may come back? I hope just hope he is happy!
5 sarah // Aug 20, 2008 at 1:18 am
Oh god I so understand. My male cat has been missing a week now. I hate it too and can think of nothing else. I have been out again and again around the streets but nothing. The cats protection said effective way is putting leaflets through letterboxes and posters. I so hope you furry loved one returns soon. Thinking of you.
6 Olivia Mclaughlin // Oct 18, 2008 at 11:51 am
My cat is about 1 and a half years old and never wandered before he has been away three days now and i am worried sick but i am reassured now I am more hopeful he will return
I will put a bowl of tuna in the microwave and leave that out for him hopefully he will return safe.
7 sally // Dec 27, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I have the same problem with 1-year old Zippy!He’s handsome, very sweet, but ALSO very disinclined to stay home with the other cats. The longest he’s been away is 5 days. We’re near a major highway, which worries me a great deal. And it’s impossible to find out about cats that may have been killed there. I plan to neuter him–when he turns up again, as per the vet’s recommendation. That MAY be the answer.
8 lolly // Jan 30, 2009 at 11:41 am
my 8 month old male cat has been missing for nearly 2 days now. the longest he left before this was about 6 hours or so, he has been neutered so that obviously doesnt stop them straying, really hope he comes home, was thinking he might be dead till i read these cos thought neutered cats didnt stray, hope all your cats come home.
9 *Rachie&Star* // Apr 9, 2009 at 9:06 am
Thanks for the tips, but the last few were really the only helpful ones. Star, a male NON-Spayed cat lives with my family (of 5) 2 dogs (female) and a often visiting friend a female dog. He LOVES people and just 2 of our dogs (the older ones who are used to cats) he has four white paws and he is gray with black stripes every-where and he is the size of a normel female cat (accept he is MALE) he has a sister named Jojo who is NOT a fixed cat, both are not even a year old, Star mated with Jojo then disappeared, for about four weeks. Is it because he mated? Or is it ‘caus all male cats randomly disappear for four weeks at a time? See I’ve had five female cats before, but Star is my first Male cat so I don’t really know what to do. He is one of my favorite cats that I have ever had! If anything should happen to him I would…*
If anyone has anything they could tell me that I could do then please post!
10 gena // Apr 21, 2009 at 9:59 pm
my baby boy sid has been gone for 1 week now. im devastated. my heart is bro
ken and i think of nothing else. he was a declawed house cat. should i give up hope?? do you think he will ever return??
11 Shelley // May 15, 2009 at 9:37 am
My cat too has been gone…I noticed something wasn’t right when we opened the door in the morning like we always did, and he didn’t come running in… haven’t seen him now for 3 days. He’s a very friendly cat that will go to anyone. We have had him for 5 yrs and I miss him dearly. I sure hope he is ok and will return home. The not knowing is the hardest. This waiting and watching is breaking my heart.
12 angel wilson // May 31, 2009 at 4:26 pm
MY CAT HAS LEFT OUR NEW RESIDENCE AND RETURNED TO OUR OLD HOME 14 TIMES NOW WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT CONSIDRING IT IS ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY. WE CAN’T JUDGE WHEN SHE WILL GO BECAUSE SHE WILL BE HAPPY FOR A WEEK OR TWO ANS THEN SHE IS GONE, HER SONHAS NEVER LEFT WITH HER , HE HAS TAKEN TO OUR NEW HOME AND SEEMS TO LOVE IT. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME BECAUSE I WORRY WHICH TIME MIGHT BE HER LAST AS SHE IS CROSSING HIGHWAYS AND STREETS,ETC?
13 sarah sweet // Oct 13, 2009 at 5:53 am
My two cats Mitzi mum and Ted 1year old son have both in the past month gone missing first of all it was ted and was missing for 17 days when he did return he was thin and sneezing also his mum who was unusually happy whilst he was away turned nasty towards him and within 2 days of his return was off herself for 10 days when she returned she was still hissing at him. We think she had had enough of him and had taken him off and left him somewhere then returned home alone without him then when he eventually found his way home she was miffed he had returned so went off herself. Since they are both home we have devised a plan of if he’s out then we keep her in and vica versa it seems too be working at the moment but she seems desperate to get him too go out when shes out and we dont want to loose him again, how long do we have to keep doing this for? its been about 2 weeks now and whilst its working ie neither of them have gone out of the garden it is time consuming to say the least monitoring who’s in and who’s out, when ted came home he was sooo pleased to see us as we were with him we did take him too the vets to get him checked over and he was fine. Both cats are neutered and chipped.
14 Colleen // Oct 27, 2009 at 11:47 pm
My Merlin is 9 years old and he is a long-haired cat that is incredibly friendly. I’ve never had a problem with moving house – we’ve lived in 5 different homes in two different countries in the last 8 years. A year ago, we got a second, younger dog. Merlin loves my old dog but the new dog loves Merlin a little too much and is almost always attached to Merlin’s tail when Merlin comes home. Oscar (the new dog) is very active and has run over the top of merlin when he was asleep in the garden and now Merlin has had enough. Over the past 6 monhts, Merlin has gone missing so may times, staying away for up to a month at a time. He’s taken up residence around the corner where there are three houses in a row which all have large gardens and cats that he plays with. I had down mail drops, nailed posters onto lamp-posts and talked to all the home-owners saying not to feed Merlin because he has bowel disease but there is one lady in particular that feeds her cat outside and is unconcerned that Merlin is eating her cat’s food nor is she concerned at the effect this will eventually have on my boy. What can I do?
15 poohbear // Dec 28, 2009 at 1:56 pm
my baby girl loves to come in eat and then leave again its like we are just a pit stop, she has times when she will stay away for a week and scare the heck out of me, then she has times when she stays at home and sleeps for two days. I think its secret kitty partying! dont give up!
16 angie // Feb 26, 2010 at 7:21 pm
My little cat tigger been gone 6 days now worried sick about him just hoping and praying he comes home he is a beautiful and cheeky little cat we have searched every where put notices in shops ans newspaper but nothing just want him home his brothers are missing him
17 *Reo* // Apr 3, 2010 at 4:43 pm
my kitten has been gone for a day know we’re really worried about him. last time he was out was nearly 8hrs but came back at 10pm. we let him out at the front were theres a busy road so we’re very worried somethings happened…luckily nobody has seen a squashed cat. I hope he comes back soon the weather is really bad.
18 laura // Jun 8, 2010 at 12:37 pm
i lost my cat away from home he escaped out of his cage 4 miles away from home its only been to days but i dont know where he is he was frightened when we lost him and have been to that area everyday since but no sign
19 kerin // Jul 18, 2011 at 1:32 pm
my 1 year old cat has been gone 6 days, i’m absolutely heartsick. last night i had pretty much given up hope of ever seeing him again. but this morning, a local saw a missing flyer i had posted and told the store owner where he had seen quincy. i went to the house and the lady said he had been there for 3 days. she had fed him and he played with the kids, but then he left again. so it’s been another 3 days… i’ve printed pictures and put my informatin on the back to hand out to everyone in the neighborhood as well as flyers in the local stores, laundromat, library and pizza place. i have renewed hope!
20 REBECCA HERNANDEZ // Aug 8, 2011 at 6:31 pm
my one year old black neutered make has been gone for almost 4 days. we live in a rural area, with coyotes, and a 60 acre cornfield behind our house. He disappeared around 7 pm. The neighbors all say the coyotes will get cats. I won’t give up hope.
21 Carol // Oct 23, 2011 at 6:40 pm
My 3 year old cat has wondered away from our new home 4 times now. He is traveling 2 1/2 miles south of our new location, not north, which is where we moved from. He spends time with other families in this area, which is quite expansive, beautiful and full of trees and fields for mousing. Our old neighborhood was quite large and he had many big old yards to roam in. Our new neighborhood is smaller and he has no interest in our new location. He sleeps in a dog house at another families home and they feed him along with some of the other neighbors. He is an indoor/outdoor cat. He was depressed being in our house after his last return and I put him on a long leash and cat collar. He managed to break the leash and has wondered away again. This makes me feel so sad. I raised him from a tiny kitten (shelter rescue) and have had him in our family for 3 1/2 years. What can I do to make him want to remain at home?
22 Brianna // Oct 24, 2011 at 2:36 pm
My 3 year old, un-fixed, female calico has been missing for 9 days now. My cats are NEVER allowed outside. She was a feral kitten that came to our door 3 years ago with her mom, we fed them, and it took us months to get her to come in and stay with us. To our surprise she was pregnant and gave birth to 4 kittens a few months after we got her to stay with us. She was increadibly happy being an indoor cat. She has gotten out 2 times before and has always shown up on the 9th night, but not this time. I’m devastated b/c I don’t think she is coming back. How long do u think she will stay gone? She was in heat when she got out, will that make her stay gone longer? I’ve been to all the shelters and put posters up. It’s like she just disappeared…….
23 Kirsten // Nov 21, 2011 at 3:46 am
My Seven month year old cat, has always tried escaping outdoors, and sometimes, sucessfully. Well he got out two days ago, and the longest he has ever been away was, several hours. I am really scared, and can’t think of anything else. It is really cold out, and he loves to eat, so I am very concerned. The coyotes are a problem here, and was giving up hope, until I read this. I really hope he comes home! I miss him so much.
24 Leanne // Nov 21, 2011 at 6:18 pm
I have a 7mnth old male cat (charlie) he has not been spayed as yet but planning to do that when he comes home, he’s been gone now for almost 3 days and although its not the first time it’s the longest, we also have problems with foxe’s so i’m praying that he’s ok, his brother also does the same thing but it’s as though thay take turns and he is missing him as we all are…so let’s hope all our cats return, i’m pretty sure they will eventually, it’s like having a teenager not knowing where they are what they are doing and if they are alright.
25 Michael // Dec 26, 2011 at 1:18 pm
We have an 8yr old tabby called Jake, he has been with us since he was a kitten and is very smart, he can open doors with the lever type handles and has been able to get into other people’s homes via their cat flaps even though they have the magnetic locks. Just like our other cats he has always been allowed outdoors but always returned home either that evening or the next morning. Last summer he disappeared for a couple of days when he did return he had a message on his collar which read “stop stealing our cat you f!!!!!” we were shocked and disturbed by this and after some investigation found there was a neighbour who lived about two streets over who honestly believed Jake was their missing cat. Now we don’t know what this guy was doing to encourage Jake to his house but he started spending more and more time in that neighbourhood. We then found that several of the other neighbours in that street thinking he was a stray were feeding him so he had this whole smorgasbord of food going on. He started sleeping under one lady’s gazebo and seemed pretty content with his new home. We tried to encourage him to come back but every time he went out of our house he made a b-line straight back to this other street. The amazing thing is even though this other family thought he was their cat they did not keep him in their house he just lives in the neighbourhood. We did send out a flyer explaining he was our cat and would who ever was feeding him stop but they wouldn’t so we tried to see if the shelter would take him but they said he was too old to be adopted so we tried several friends with farms to see if they could take him but no luck. We then had a phone call from one of the other neighbours on his new street complaining that he was getting into her house, terrorizing her cat and eating her cat food so we went over and collected him from her house bought him home and basically kept him inside for 3mths which drove him and us absolutely nuts, he would wail at all hours of the day and night he would stand outside our bedroom at 2am and rattle the door handle until we got up or he would move onto one of our kid’s rooms and rattle their handle if we ignored him, this did subside after the first month and he did seem to settle down so finally we let him out and for a week or so it seemed like we had broken the chain as he came home every night, stayed in during the day of his own choice but slowly he started to disappear again. That was 8mths ago. During that time we have received updates from the other neighbours in the street where he now lives telling us of how he is doing etc. However we had a phone call this week from the same lady complaining again that he was in her house and that she wanted him out and we had to do something about it, I tried to explain the situation but she didn’t really care and told me to get rid of him far enough away that he wouldn’t come back. The very next day he escaped and although we went after him he took off into a backyard and disappeared. I phoned this lady and warned her and asked if he showed up there to call me which she did and he is now back with us but miserable. We are at a loss as to what to do, we can’t keep him in, we have tried to adopt him out and if we let him out he is becoming a nuisance. If this lady complains to the city, the by-law officer could insist we have him put down which we can’t do so if anyone has any suggestions or proven tricks on how we can break this wandering we would love to here them. Jake is a unique cat with a real personality so it would be such a shame to loose him but we are running out of options and time.
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