Getting home is a cat’s dream. You know if they’re hungry or thirsty? If they like their territory or a new home needs to be created? Then create a home!
Getting home is very important. It should be done in a safe, comfortable, and calm environment. The environment can be any kind of housing, from an apartment to a family house.
The key parts of the environment that cats find attractive are stability, heat, and protection. Each has unique reasons for preferring each of these things, but regardless of what group you think might have a candidate for getting home, there are definite steps to take care of them.
This article will go over the different ways cats get home, what they are (if they’re external or internal), what triggers them to get home, and how you can help them if this happens.
Contents:
They remember the way
If your cat is a novice trespasser, they probably remembers the way onto or outside the house. If they’ve gone out for a walk, they probably remembers where the yard, neighbor’s house, and outdoor area are.
If they’ve been outside playing, then you know where the play area is and what type of rules there are.
If there is food or a toy nearby, that means someone recently left it alone and it might be possible for your cat to find it again.
Having these memories help your cat get home, so go find a way in! If you know someone with special skills such as doctors or teachers who can help your cat get in if it gets stuck, that would be beautiful.
We can help make sure cats feel safe anywhere in our home or neighborhood so they can get back home safely.
They look for visual landmarks
It is very normal for cats to have a clear understanding of how to get home. This isn’t just a one and done thing, most of the time they use this knowledge every day.
This knowledge is called a learned behavior. Cats have a wide range of behaviors that help them find their home, including leaving deposits in places such as trash cans or outdoors.
Some examples of a learned behavior is going outside at night, finding food outdoors, or staying with a familiar person especially during times of sickness.
These things are big deals to you, so you should be sensitive when it happens. If you know your cat has gone home, but it is not time for them to go back yet, then you need to find them!
Reading signs that they’re home is the only way to confirm this though as they may not be around if they’ve gone missing.
They recognize subtle changes in their surroundings
This is called a “sensory system” and it is what helps cats get home. A lot of cats enjoy being watched so they can find their way back home.
Being watched is one of the things that cat likes most. They are happy to see you every day so you can come and check on them.
If you leave your cat alone for a short period of time, she will probably get hungry. She would also love to see if there are any animals she loves nearby. If yes, she can go back home.
Checking how high your cat is laying or walking is another way to recognize when she needs to go outside or comes home quickly. Your cat may be lighter or heavier depending on how long she has been traveling.
They use their nose
When a cat needs to get home, he or she will use their nose to determine where home is. This is called nose work and it is very important!
When a cat needs to return to its home, they will typically go out the door and check the neighborhood for signs of its community. If it is found, it’s brought back inside the house.
This kind of behavior is called territoriality and it’s basically an evolutionary way to protect its family unit.
If your cat shows any kind of nose work, especially if it’s outside, then you should watch for evidence of return. They will typically bring the outside sign back by the kitchen or bathroom so don’t worry about that being too hard.
They follow familiar paths
It is pretty normal for cats to return to where they were riled up. They follow familiar paths, and see the same people and things that inspired them to get out in the first place.
This is called repeat behavior! Many times it is a method of navigation. You would use a path to get from your house to someone else’s house, and then once you are inside that person would use the same path back out to your home.
For cats, they use the stairs as their main means of getting inside and off of houses. Using a door as the entry point and then using the stairs or another level to get back up is what they do.
If you have ever left your cat in a situation where they had no way of getting home, then this article is for you! There are many articles on how to help prevent this.
Cats that live outside may have a better sense of direction due to natural instinct
When it comes to getting home, most people know how a dog learns how to walk in a new area. The first step is to try to get your cat to play or interact with another cat.
This goes for any type of cat- this helps with the learning process and socialization. Once they feel comfortable, you can let them outside! Or, you could take them out early in the morning or later in the day if there are days that the cat gets home later.
Then, once they are comfortable walking, you can put them out! They can go out by themselves, or you can take them back in! It is important to keep an open mind when it comes to giving your cats time alone.
Many times cats just need more space and time to learn how to get home themselves.
Cats have a wider field of view than humans do
When it comes to hunting, the wider view a cat has the better than a human does is truly amazing. Cats have a much more active approach to finding their home.
Like humans, cats can look around and see other animals in their surroundings. However, they compare that with their own size and know how to find their way back.
This is why it is so important that you teach your kitten or young cat how to get home. You want them to learn this through experience, so you take them out on an empty leash or secured outdoor area where they can get used to the idea of going outside.
Start with oneascat at a time until he or she gets the hang of it. Once they do, take them out into the world and let them try things out.
Their magnetic sense helps them orient themselves in space
When you think of a cat as being very intelligent, you are right! All cats are curious and active, making them good matches for the magnetic system.
Cats have a sense of where objects are in space based on how close they are to them and how much energy they expend moving toward them. This is called a social orientation.
When a cat feels more energized and is closer to you, it tries to get home faster. This is why your cat should be able to find your house on her own in the first place if she was born there!
To learn more about why cats need homes and what makes them fit, ask your cat if she wants to live with you or stay with me at my house. Then, go outside or down the street and look for a empty spot at least an hour before you come back in to check on him or her.