Last updated: May 8, 2023 crystal with
If your cat has ever sneaked out after letting it out for its daily explorations when it shouldn’t have come home, you know that feeling of fear and worry all too well. There is nothing sadder than not knowing where your beloved pet has gone. If your kitty is currently MIA, you’re probably wondering if you can go home.
actually a cat can It finds its way home thanks to a special ability known as its ‘homing instinct’.
Read on to find out more.
How can a cat find its way home?
There are countless stories of kittens who have been missing for weeks, months, or years and then miraculously appear on their doorsteps as if no time had passed. How could a cat achieve such a feat? There are two prevailing theories.
geomagnetic field
Another theory is based on research on homing pigeons. Scientists believe that these birds are so sensitive to the Earth’s geomagnetic field that they can find their way home. This allows the built-in compass to remain fixed to your home regardless of how far you’ve traveled or which direction you’re heading.
Exactly how this homing instinct works is unknown, but it was first studied in more detail in a 1922 study. It turned out that a mother cat separated from her kittens could locate them at various distances, up to 4 miles.1 Not only did the mother find her way home in each of her seven trials, but in four of those trials she started heading in the right direction as soon as she was released. Of course, the ethics of such studies are highly questionable, but the interesting findings cannot be denied.
Another 1954 study put cats in a large maze to see if they could find an exit and return home.2 Studies have found that most cats don’t waste time roaming the maze and quickly choose an exit, most of them choosing the door in the area closest to their home. The researchers then repeated the experiment with magnets attached to the cats and found that they did not perform as well, suggesting that magnetic geolocation may be involved.
scent cues
Another popular theory is that cats can use their well-developed sense of smell to find their way home. Cats use smell to mark their territory, so it may also be a way of locating them.
What factors affect a cat’s homing instinct?
According to a survey from Lost pet researchSeveral factors can affect how well-coordinated a cat’s homing instinct is.
- outdoor experience. Most cats with excellent homing abilities have had some outdoor experience.
- Year. Most cats were adults when they got lost and returned home.
- Gender and presence or absence of contraception/neuter surgery. Male cats exhibited superior homing instincts than female cats. More patients were spayed/neutered than those without surgery.
Will my cat be able to move back to its original location after moving recently?
Cats seem to be able to find their way home, but what if the cat’s “home” is new? If you recently moved, will your kitty be able to move back into its new home? Hard to say.
Your cat may not have registered your new home as a “home” yet. Some cats recognize their new home as a home within a few days, but others may take longer. If your kitty is already aware that your new space is now home, chances are he’s already memorized the magnetic map. This will help us find a way to get it back if we lose it.
However, if it hasn’t been long since you moved, or if your kitten hasn’t yet had a chance to register the new location as “home,” they may want to move back to their previous residence.
When I was a teenager, my family and I moved homes a few blocks away. Our cat, Sebastian, was an outdoor cat at the time and always returned to his old home when it was time to move back inside. To bring him back home, we had to walk to our old house and quarrel with him. It took him several months before our new address was finally registered as a permanent address.
Not all cats can go home
It would be great if all the lost cats made it home safely, but unfortunately that is not always the case.
The same 1954 study showing that cats have a homing ability also suggests that this ability cannot always be relied upon to guide cats home. Studies have found that young laboratory-bred cats have no homing ability at all. So if your kitten is young or used to living indoors, they may not find a way to find their way back if they get lost. If being outside makes your cat stressed or anxious, it can affect your cat’s sense of direction.
What should I do if my cat is gone?
There are a few things you can do to increase the chances of your missing cat returning home. These include:
- File a lost pet report with your local animal shelter and animal control agency.
- Warn Microchip Companies
- Visit your local animal shelter to see if your cat is
- Alert your neighborhood of missing cats by posting on your local community forums (e.g. Facebook, Craigslist, Reddit).
- Have a neighbor inspect your property
- Search every corner of a house or property
- Quietly call your cat’s name and shake the bag of their favorite treats
- Look above the trees and roofs
- Place smelly objects (favorite beds, food, litter box, etc.) outside to lure him back into your home.
final thoughts
Cats have an instinctive homing ability that sometimes allows them to find their way home. There are many stories of cats returning home after being lost for a few days (or more) with happy endings, but this is not always the case. But that doesn’t mean you should lose hope when your pet goes missing. Instead, enlist the help of a local animal shelter or neighborhood watch group to help you get your sweet baby home sooner.
Featured image credit: Julissa Helmuth, Pexels
About the author
Ivy’s mom cat is a lively little rescue kitten who is her only child. At this point! Throughout her life, she has known the special love found in the bond she has with her cat. Having owned multiple cats, she is convinced that their love is unmatched, unconditional, and unlike any other animal. With a passion for educating the public about everything from cat biology, behavior and unique personalities, Krystal encourages all cats and their owners to live and love consciously. I am dedicated to making people aware of the importance of