Did you lose your cat? Missing Pet Partnership has some great descriptions of individual cat “types” why they might take off how far they might go and where they might hide. We’ve posted a bit of their article to give you some ideas
HOW TO FIND YOUR MISSING CAT
Finding Lost Outdoor-Access Cats
Cats are territorial. When an outdoor-access cat suddenly vanishes, it means that SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED to that cat to interrupt its normal behavior of coming home. The disappearance could mean that the cat is injured, trapped, or deceased within its territory. Or perhaps the cat was transported out of the area-either intentionally (by an irate neighbor who trapped the cat) or unintentionally (by the cat climbing into an open vehicle). Possibly the cat was displaced into unfamiliar territory (something as simple as being chased by a dog several houses away) causing it to panic and hide in silence.
The investigative question when an outdoor-access cat disappears is: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CAT?
How to find your Indoor-Only Cat when it gets lost
The territory for an indoor-only cat is the inside of the home where it lives. When an indoor-only cat escapes outdoors, it is “displaced” into unfamiliar territory. Usually they will look for the first place that will offer concealment and protection. Their instinctive response is to HIDE IN SILENCE because that is their primary protection from predators. How long they remain in that hiding place and what they do from there is dependant upon their temperament. The investigative question when an indoor-only cat escapes outdoors is: WHERE IS THE CAT HIDING?
Feline Temperaments That Influence Distances Traveled
Temperament influences actions. How a cat behaves when in its normal territory will influence how it behaves when it becomes “lost” or displaced into unfamiliar territory. In addition to posting flyers and checking the cages of local shelters, encourage cat owners to develop a search strategy based on the specific behavior of their cat.
- CURIOUS/CLOWN CAT – These are gregarious cats that get into trouble easily, run to the door to greet a stranger, and are not easily afraid of anything.
- CARE-LESS CAT – These aloof cats don’t seem to care much about people.
- CAUTIOUS CAT – These cats are generally stable but they show occasional shyness.
- CATATONIC/XENOPHOBIC CAT – Xenophobia means “fear or hatred of things strange or foreign.”
Owner Behaviors That Create Problems
Cat owners often behave in ways that actually inhibit their chances of finding their lost cat.
Rescuer Behaviors That Create Problems
One of the most tragic misinterpretations of feline behavior occurs when rescuers observe a cat with a xenophobic temperament and assume, based on the fearful behavior, that the cat is an untamed “feral.”