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How long do indoor cats go missing for?
It isn’t uncommon for cats to go missing for 24 hours, especially if they like spending a lot of time outdoors. In some cases, cats can even stay away from home for up to 10 days at a time.
How long should I wait for my missing cat?
You do not need to worry if your cat leaves, however, if it has been more than two days, you should consider notifying your local vet and animal warden that your animal has not come back, as they might have been injured, preventing them from coming home.
Do lost indoor cats come back?
When displaced they will likely initially hide, but eventually they will break cover and come back to the door, meow, or possibly travel. If not pushed (scared off) from their hiding place, they will typically return to the point where they escaped from or they will meow when the owner comes to look for them.
What do you do if your indoor cat runs away?
Cut strips out of a sheet or towel and hang them outside the house. Put the litter box outside. Put canned cat food outside. Spread dry food around where you think the cat might be.
How far can a cat smell its litter box?
You may have even heard that your cat can smell their dirty litter a mile away. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that a cat can smell their litter box from that far away. More realistically, they might be able to smell it up to a few hundred feet away (depending on wind and weather conditions) and often a lot less.
How long does it take for a cat to go missing?
On average, once a cat has been missing for 24 hours it will typically be missing for another 1 to 2 days before being found. In fact, a cat usually has its fate sealed in the first few hours after it goes out.
What happens if an indoor cat gets lost outside?
It could be several days before the hunger and the thirst force the cat out of her hiding place. When that happens, she might retrace her steps back to your home, but it’s also possible that she will run in the opposite direction. Not to mention that indoor cats lost outside can get hurt by other animals or traffic.
How long will a cat stay in one house?
Keep in mind that most cats, especially inside cats, do not go very far. They probably stay within a five house radius for the first few days and weeks. They lay low and hide and wait.
Do cats come back after a day or two?
In the vast majority of cases, a cat will simply return the next day. It’s unusual for a contented domestic cat to run off for more than 24 hours. Most of them remember where they live when the first pangs of hunger set in. If your cat is taking longer than a day to come home, there could be a problem.