Losing our cats can be very heartbreaking. You have this bad feeling in your chest, knowing you have no way of telling where they are or what happened.
You also know that cats can disappear for long periods of time that can last from a horse to years and then reappear on your doorstep one day, so you can’t stop hoping. But how long is too long? Is there an appropriate length of time to wait? As a general answer, only you can decidebut here you have some advice to know when to stop.
How Long Do Cats Go Away?
The truth is that some cats can disappear for days, months, and even years before reappearing. Although it’s not a common thing for them to disappear for a long time without looking back, it’s definitely a possibility, so it’s very hard to give up.
There is probably a part of most pet owners that is still hopeful even years after their kitty is gone. So, we want to make it clear that there is no set rule, length of time, or way to tell when it’s time to give up.
Your intuition will tell you more than any article, and not all opinions are important. If you’re diligent about finding your cat, you can back off some, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up completely.
There is only so much you can do to try to find your cat and then you have to leave the rest to the universe. Below, we’ll go over exactly how you can find your cat and other important information.
Why Are Cats Disappearing?
Our cats can go missing for a variety of reasons. Here are some different times when they may have lost their way or refused to go home.
Hunting
Some cats are natural born hunters. If they are out there, they may be acting out their primal and natural behavior. Cats that are just out hunting can only stay away for a few hours to a few days, unless they get lost and can’t find their way back.
Mating
If your cat has not been spayed or neutered, he may be running around trying to find or connect with a mate. Most cats that leave home to mate can be found within 500 meters of home, but that doesn’t mean they can’t travel further. 1 Again, they may only be lost for a few days in this case, unless they travel too far and can’t find their way back.
Living Elsewhere
Your cat may have made friends with a neighbor or person who lives down the street. If so, this other person may think your cat is homeless and claim them as their own.
Once they’re out of the house again, they may come back to you or stay elsewhere for the rest of their lives, especially if the person they live with doesn’t know your cat is missing.
chasing
Cats are true adventurers. They have the ability to travel long distances to expand their territory. This is another situation where they can only be lost for a few days, or longer if they can’t find their way home.
Home Conditions
If you’ve recently moved residences, your cat may get mixed up when they go outside. After all, everything around them will be completely new. Some cats that get lost after moving have even found their way back to their old home if you haven’t moved too far.
However, cats may also avoid coming home if something has changed around the household recently. Whether you’ve welcomed a new family member or you’ve got a new pet, they might not approve and leave the house for a while if they get the chance.
damage
Unfortunately, in any of the above situations, your cat could be injured while exploring or looking for a mate. In those cases, your cat may be gone for a few days while they recover. Some cats will go home when they feel better, but depending on the extent of the injury, some may not.
The 6 Ways You May Be Looking For Your Cat
Perhaps you have come up with your own ways of searching for your cat. Here are some techniques you may have already tried, or maybe some you haven’t quite thought about yet. If you’ve tried all of these and still come up empty after a few months, it may be time to move on, but again, the decision is up to you as to how long you want to search for your cat.
1. You Post Your Cat Everywhere
The day your cat went missing, you started looking for them. You’re probably posting all over your social media and other places to make sure you get the word out. You are passionate about finding lost pet groups and letting your friends and family share the word. You may have even put up lost pet posters with your cat’s picture along with your contact information.
2. You Put Your Cat’s Belongings Outside
You may have placed some of your cat’s belongings, such as their bed, blanket, litter box, or food, outside on your porch so your cat can smell it and find their way home. Cats have a stronger sense of smell than we do, after all. You might even put some of your own clothes outside to help your cat find their way home with your scent.
3. You are looking Online
You may have checked the pages of your local animal shelter and rescue to make sure no one has seen your cat and taken them in. Many shelters that take in new animals are required to hold them for a certain amount of time, such as 7 days, before they can be adopted, and they will often post the animals on their social media or website to help get them out. the word
4. You Look In-Person
You told your neighbors; you told people on the street. Everyone is watching over your precious cat. You even asked your neighbors to tell their neighbors. However, your cat has not yet appeared. You might consider looking at animal shelters and rescues in person to see if your cat is there, too. If nothing else, you can drop off your lost pet posters and shelters can call you if your pet turns up.
5. Call Vet Offices
You can always ask around at different vet offices to see if anyone can possibly come in to report or surrender your pet. While vet offices aren’t always the most common place for people to take in stray pets, it is possible, especially if someone sees your cat and the cat is injured. The vet.
6. Rely on the Microchip Database
If your cat has been microchipped, there is a good chance that someone will find your cat and take them to the vet’s office or shelter to be scanned. Unfortunately, if all of your information is not up to date on the microchip, it may be impossible for someone to get hold of you. So, someone may take your cat and take them but there is no way to actually contact the real owner.
Only You Can Decide What Is Right
If you feel like it’s been too long, or you have a sneaking suspicion that your cat isn’t coming back, only you can decide when it’s time to give up the search. Also, just because you’ve given up on actively searching doesn’t mean you’ve given up on your heart.
You’ve probably always hoped to get some answers about what happened to your precious cat.
However, you can only put effort into it for so long. Maybe one day your cat will turn up at your door, looking worse for wear, but still home, nonetheless.
Conclusion
If you’ve been looking for your cat every day, it might be time to study that up a bit. However, just remember that cats can disappear for a long time before reappearing. This is especially true if your cat has never been spayed or neutered.
Cats have excellent memories and an excellent sense of smell. Even if they are far from home, many of them will find their way back. We will keep our fingers crossed for you!
Featured Image Credit: StockMediaSeller, Shutterstock
