There are a few reasons why your cat doesn’t want to come home. In problems like this, it’s important to remember that while cats can be pets, they can be independent. Thus, if you haven’t trained your cat to come or stay home, it will be a problem you’ll have to deal with almost all the time. But, as I said, there’s always something you can do about that problem.
Felines are curious animals, and they can wander without caring about their owners.
Since many owners have these problems almost all the time, I compiled some facts that will be of use.
Let’s get onto it!
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Is it normal for my cat to not come home?
Cats are curious creatures. Thus, while they can stay in one place for a long time, they can also wander off without hesitation.
According to ASPCA, only 15% of all pet owners experienced having their pets missing.
In that percentage, 85% get their pets back, and the rest failed to have their feline pet back.
Of all recovered, 59% found their pets because it returned on its own, while 30% did by searching their area. The rest of the owners rescued their pets in a shelter.
This study shows that only a few felines wander off and would go missing. Further, the missing ones tend to find their way back home.
Thus, we can say that it’s not normal for felines not to come home.
Indeed, they may play fearless and went out for quite long, but they should be back in a day or two as the longest.
Still, it’s important to remember that felines are intelligent creatures. Thus, a kitty that doesn’t want to come home probably has its reasons.
With this in mind, I compiled a few probable reasons why your cat may not want to come home.
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Why does my cat run away from home?
Cats are territorial animals. By territorial, it means they hardly ever leave what they consider their area.
Still, there is a curiosity and playfulness in them, which is enough to break this routine. Below are the probable reasons why your feline friend has run away from home:
Your cat is pursuing another cat to mate
Cats have what we call a reproductive season. It is a season wherein male felines tend to pursue mating opportunities.
Thus, if your pet finds a potential mate, it will immediately leave its territory to pursue. Further, it won’t probably be back unless it finished mating.
Your cat finds a prey to hunt
Cats are suckers for small moving animals. As hunters, they may run away from home to pursue a particular animal or insect that caught its attention.
These feline pets come from a long line of hunters before they become pets. Thus, while they aren’t aggressive like their wild counterparts, they can still hunt.
Your cat feels stressed or disturbed at home
One other reason why your feline pet may run is that if it’s not comfortable in your place.
The common reason for this is when you hurt it physically, or when there’s a new pet around.
Another cause is that you have recently moved to another area and it seeks the old one.
As territorial animals, they will find a new place disturbing. They will run away from a home where they feel threatened.
Your cat finds food nearby
Don’t forget about your neighbors.
If your neighbor feeds good food to your pet, it may turn away from you. It usually happens mostly if your neighbor offers better food than what you give.
Always check your surrounding areas if your pet runs away or went missing. It’s probably munching over the neighborhood.
You May Also Read – Can cats sense depression and anxiety?
What do you do when your cat won’t come home?
Keeping in mind the possible problems, I compiled a few tips that could come in handy if your pet won’t come home.
Offer food or treat to get your cat inside
Food and treat go a long way. If your pet is just outside and won’t come in, offer some good food that attracts them.
If your pet is afraid of you, try to leave the food in an area inside and give it some time to approach it
Search for your cat nearby if it went missing
There’s a specific time to consider if your cat went missing. If it usually comes back after a roaming day, search for it if it passes that time.
Look for it nearby and call its name. Your pet may not remember its name, but it can recognize your voice.
Do cats recognize pregnancy in women? Learn more.
Do not vent frustration or anger
If you found your cat and returned it inside, don’t vent any frustration towards it.
Your feline pet may sense it as punishment. Thus, it will keep in mind that going inside is terrible and will never come back again.
Try to give it a treat or food instead. This way, you can give it the idea that it’ll receive food if it goes inside.
Never chase your cat
There’s a reason why cats run away from you. If it does, it’s because you hurt it, and it’s scared of you.
If this happens, never chase your pet to come home. Doing so could force it to run away more from you and never come back.
If you hit your pet and it keeps a distance, let it be for some time. Approach gradually so as not to scare it.
Can a pregnant woman sleep with a cat? Read here.
In Summary
A cat that doesn’t want to come home has its reasons for acting that way. If the problem comes with the felines, then there’s nothing you can do but wait and search. However, if the issue is you or your place, you might want to do something about it.
Whatever the problem is, it would be best to solve it as soon as possible.
If you care for it and you don’t want it to run away, then a few efforts to prevent such from happening is nothing.
In the end, it’s always your duty as the owner to take care of your pet and give it a place to stay and not to run.
Did this article become useful to you? Have you ever wondered if your cat can sense depression and anxiety?
Resources
ASPCA study about lost pets
Image credits – Photos by Jozsef Hocza and René DeAnda on Unsplash
