How do cats find their way home?

Those who have outdoor cats often wonder how their adventurous kitties find their way back home; they seem to have a natural ability for direction and navigation.

There are numerous stories of cats going missing who eventually find their way back to their owners over long distances. While amazing, these stories do raise a key question: how do cats actually find their way home?

There are a few scientific reasons for a cat's innate sense of direction, from emotional bonds with their owner to the strength of their senses.

Here, we answer how cats find their way home, what they tend to do when they aren't sure where they are and how to prevent your kitty from getting lost.

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Do cats know how to find their way home?

Yes, they can. It leads many owners to think cats have an "internal GPS".

For example, Lost Pet Research found reports of cats travelling 50-80 miles over two-and-a-half years to get home, and the news regularly reports stories of cats returning home after years, too.

It's why it's very important to get your cat used to your home if you move; they can get confused and end up travelling back to your old house, even if it's miles away.

How do cats find their way home from miles away? The science behind it

So, how do cats find their way home over long distances? Let's look into the science.

Homing instinct

A homing instinct is an animal's natural ability to find their way home. There's mixed research on how this works, but some researchers believe it comes from a mix of magnetic fields and strong senses.

Researchers have found that numerous animals demonstrate a homing instinct. But finding the exact mechanisms behind it is difficult, as it involves so many stimuli. It's hard to set up an experiment that tests homing instinct while tracking a cat's brain, behaviour and other senses.

Researchers state that cats use their scent to build "olfactory maps", which is a mental map of an area, to help them home in on a specific area, which may influence their homing instinct.

Geomagnetic navigation

There is some evidence that cats, like other mammals, can use the Earth's electromagnetic field to help them get around. It's almost like their own compass.

The evidence for a cat's ability to use geomagnetic navigation include:

• A cat's ability to "home" onto a location from a long distance, like this cat who travelled home over a 200-mile distance. But this could be a cat using other cues, like landmarks.

• Experiments where cats have had magnets attached to them. Magnets disrupt a cat's local electromagnetic field, and researchers noted that cats struggled with directions afterwards. This implies that magnetic fields play a role in homing.

• Some experiments have noted behavioural changes in cats when they're exposed to strong magnetic fields.

• There is some evidence that cats are sensitive to magnetic fields, likely due to the amount of iron in their blood or specific cells in their eyes. 

But this isn't a settled science. There's some evidence against this claim, too. Most evidence for animal interaction with magnetic fields comes from birds, fish and other mammals. Experiments with cats have been less successful in proving it.

Magnetic fields could play a part. But a cat is more likely to find their way home using scents and their senses.

Hearing

Cats have strong hearing and can hear ultrasonic sounds (meaning their range of hearing is impressive). They may rely on their hearing to get home, especially if they can hear their owner's voice or detect familiar sounds, like neighbourhood dogs.

Memory

Cats have a strong memory, and landmarks, from smells to visual cues, can help them find their way home.

Landmarks play a crucial role in how cats build up the "mental map" of an area, allowing them to use buildings, trees and smells as breadcrumbs to get home.

Scent marking

Cats use sweat glands in their cheeks, flanks, paws and tails to leave scent trails behind. This lets them find their way back home using their nose.

These sweat markings can act as pheromones, too, and play multiple roles, like mating calls and territory marking.

A cat's smelling ability has a much stronger range than us humans, so they can use these territory markings from miles away to find their way home.

How far can a cat travel to find its way home?

As mentioned earlier, cats can travel around 50-80 miles to return home, and there are stories of cats travelling for hundreds of miles. But some cats don't travel far at all, while others like to go further afield.

Largely, it depends on your cat. Factors that influence how far a cat can travel include:

Age

An older cat is likely able to travel further compared to a kitten. They're more experienced, have more developed senses and have a better sense of where they are.

Environmental factors

Things like a cat's feeding schedule and the weather can influence how far they travel. If a cat knows they're getting fed at a particular time or if the weather is poor, they're less likely to travel far.

Cats who are used to where they live may travel further, too. They tend to have a better mental map of their territory, including landmarks and scent markings.

Homing instinct

We discussed this above, but a cat's homing instinct impacts how far a cat travels. It varies depending on the cat.

Indoor or outdoor cat

It depends on whether you have an indoor or outdoor cat, too. Indoor cats will typically stay close to home if they're outside, while an outdoor cat will travel over larger distances.

Outdoor cats tend to face more risks, and things like injuries, ending up on public transport or getting lost are higher. But at the same time, they're more used to travelling away from home and could have better homing abilities than indoor cats.

If you have a lost cat, your search approach should change. Stay closer to home for indoor cats, but cast a wider net for outdoor ones.

Personality

Some cats are more confident than others, meaning they're more willing to explore and take on longer distances.

Why do some cats travel long distances?

Motivations for long-distance journeys include:

• Checking their territory, which some cats see as a wide area of land

• Emotion, especially if they're trying to get home

• Exploration, which acts as mental stimulation

• Hunting

• Getting lost

• Injury, as cats often seek a safe space to recover, which sometimes isn't their home

• Mating

• Seeking food, especially if they can smell it

How do cats find their way home when you move?

So, how do cats find their way back home when you move?

Cats run away from their new home more often. Some cats may try to return to their old home because they don't understand that their owner has moved. It takes them a while to see a new home as, well, home.

It's why it's essential to get your cat used to your new home and make sure they're adjusted. Our guide on acclimating a cat to a new home can help.

Over time, once your cat has understood where their new home is and have built up a stronger mental map, they're more likely to return to your new home.

Are some cat breeds more prone to going missing?

Yes. Some cat breeds are reported as missing more so than others. The most at-risk cat breeds are:

• Bengals - high energy and a curious nature mean they can explore wide areas.

• British Shorthairs - likely due to their high market value and trust.

• Domestic Shorthairs - probably because of their popularity and roaming behaviour.

• Ragdolls - due to their trusting nature and tendency to get lost.

• Siamese cats - due to their vocal nature and tendency to follow sounds.

• Tabby cats - likely because of their active, adventurous nature.

What to do if your cat goes missing

We really hope your cat never goes missing, and if they're currently missing, we're very sorry to hear that.

1. Search your garden, home and surrounding area thoroughly.

2. Contact your microchip database and report them as missing. All UK cats must be microchipped.

3. Contact local authorities, like local vets and animal shelters.

4. Report your pet as missing on Animal Search UK.

5. Contact your insurer, who may have cover for you and can help provide advice and resources to find your cat.

6. Contact the Police if you think your cat has been stolen.

7. Print posters and check social media. Let neighbours know your cat's missing.

When looking for your cat, it's essential to use scent cues, like something that smells of home or their bed, and familiar sounds. Cats struggle to recognise their owners through vision alone, and can sense scent and sounds from much further afield.

Leaving familiar scents outside your home and putting out their favourite food can help them find their own way back home.

Thankfully, some cats can find their own way home when lost. But think about your cat's personality and base your search efforts around that.

For example, if you have a missing outdoor cat that's adventurous, check further afield. But if your missing indoor cat is more anxious and a homebody, they're more likely to be hiding nearby.

How to prevent your cat from getting lost

• Always microchip your cat and, if they're comfortable, use a GPS tracker.

• Be safe when opening doors and gates, and make sure other family members and visitors close them securely.

• Give your cat a tag with your address and phone number. Don't add their name as thieves can use this to gain trust.

• Having an indoor cat is generally safer as it significantly lowers the chance that they'll get lost or stolen.

• Make sure your windows are secure, as cats like to spend a lot of time near them.

• Neutering your cat can lower the chances that they wander for mating or territorial reasons.

• Prepare for stressful events, like loud noises, fireworks and lots of visitors. Prepare by giving your cat a safe space to unwind and making sure your home is secure.

• Securing your garden and home with catios, enclosed areas and good fencing.

• Take care when travelling with a cat. Our cat travel guide can help.

• Use a leash if you take your cat for a walk (and make sure they're leash-trained).

Does cat insurance cover lost pets?

It depends on what cat insurance you have. All of our plans have some level of lost and stolen cover, with up to £6,000 for advertising and reward costs on our Complete Care cat insurance plan.

Make sure you read your handbook carefully, though, as we have some exclusions for our lost and stolen cover.

Please contact us if you're a ManyPets customer and your pet is lost or stolen - we'll try our best to help. For those who aren't ManyPets customers, please follow the advice under "What to do if your cat goes missing?" above, and we hope you're reunited soon.

Our Complete Care plan has up to £6k cover if your pet is lost or stolen.

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