Why do cats run away? You feed them, play with them, offer them nothing but a loving home – and you’re still likely to deal with your cat running away at some point or the other. And it doesn’t mean that your cat will necessarily always return home.

So we’re going to cover the main 10 reasons why – plus what you can do to prevent your cat from making an escape attempt the next time. (Like following their every step in real-time.)

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10 reasons why cats run away

1. Reproductive instinct

The first reason why cats run away is their reproductive instinct, both in female cats in heat as well as unneutered male cats. As long as you have a cat that hasn’t been fixed, it’s more likely to spend its time outdoors. And when they do, there’s no fence high enough to stand in their way.

So consider getting yours spayed or neutered to reduce their mating drive. Meaning, no need to worry about them escaping from home to find a partner. (It may also be mandatory, so check your local laws and regulations.)

đź’ˇ As an emergency measure: a GPS tracker can help you figure out WHERE your cat is off wandering looking for a mate.

A one eyed cat wearing a harness sitting outside in forest

With one strapped to your cat’s collar, you can follow their movements live – and across an unlimited range.

Which can help you intervene before they sneak off into your neighbor’s yard. (You know…to meet and greet the females in heat.)

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2. Stress

Stress is another common reason why cats run away. Cats are creatures of habit – they don’t like changes in the household or to their routine. Which might include:

  • Moving the furniture around
  • Welcoming a new pet or family member
  • Home renovations
  • Or even just loud noises

All of these things and more can cause stress and anxiety in your kitty and may cause them to seek refuge elsewhere.

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3. Hunting instinct or prey drive in cats

For most of their evolutionary history, cats big and small hunt as a means to feed themselves. (And their kittens.) Regardless of how well-fed your cat is, they will most likely enjoy a good hunt. It’s just part of their cat-nature. So don’t be surprised if your outdoor cat roams away from home on the hunt for some irresistible prey.

đź’ˇ And if you want to prevent your cat from wandering somewhere dangerous to hunt? Try setting up a Virtual Fence with your trusty Tractive GPS.

Escape alerts via the Tractive GPS mobile app

In under 5 minutes, you can set up a “safe zone” via your Tractive mobile app – like your home and backyard. Or “no go zones,” like that one patch of woodland they like to venture in to hunt down mice.

Now, the minute your cat tries to sneak past a safe zone (like your backyard), you get an esape alert on your phone – so you can intervene and get them back to safety.

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Set Up A Safe Zone

4. Neglect or abandonment

Feeling neglected or abandoned are two other potential reasons why your cat may not come home. These might be because:

  • They’re spending more time at home alone than in your company
  • They’re not getting enough food, water, or anything else that they need to survive and live a good life
  • Your home has been neglected
  • You haven’t been able to give your cat the care they need

Check out our guide on how to care for a new kitten or cat to make sure you’re properly providing for your feline furbaby. And if you have outdoor cats, be sure to provide them with a warm place to stay in winter.

Read more: Outdoor Cat Care In Winter: How To Keep Yours Safe

5. Territory

In general, a cat’s territory is the area where they spend their time – inside your home, backyard, maybe further. If your cat feels comfortable there, they will likely try to expand their territory by checking out the greater surrounding. Like your neighbor’s yard, or the sunny spot with all those birds down the street.

Cats are territorial, therefore they may try to defend their territory against other cats in the area. So reason #3 why cats run away is: they’re claiming their kingdom. (And showing other cats who’s boss.)

cat territory as shown in the tractive gps app
A cat’s territory marked in yellow in the Tractive GPS app.

The downside is that the bigger the cat’s territory, the more likely they are to come into contact with other cats. Which can put them at risk of fighting and getting injured in a cat fight. Or be exposed to dangerous diseases, such as feline AIDS.

Also, neighboring cats may try to claim their territory in your backyard, which could easily cause your own kitty to try and find another safer yard. If your cat feels threatened in their own territory by another cat, they may not be around that much anymore.

6. Fear

Another common reason for a missing cat is, well, a scaredy-cat. If your cat gets scared off by something, their natural fear response may send them into fight, flight, or freeze mode.

  • Fight: your cat might hiss, flatten their ears, and bat at a threat. (Like another cat, pet, or person.)
  • Flight: your cat will run for the hills.
  • Freeze: your cat will stand still, probably hiding somewhere nearby, but they may be too scared to come out of hiding or make a sound.

Much like dogs, cats do have noise anxiety as well.1 So with “noisy” festivals involving fireworks, like New Year’s or the 4th of July, you might find it more likely your feline friend is MIA.

7. Cheating on you

Other friendly humans may have taken a liking to your kitty and begun feeding them, or even letting them inside their house regularly. So step one to prevent your neighbors from mistakenly adopting your cat: put a safety collar with an ID tag on your cat. This way, it’s clear that they belong to your family and don’t get mysteriously ‘adopted’.

We’d also recommend getting your cat a microchip ID, which can work like a permanent ID tag for dogs and cats. (Plus, since they get implanted into your cat’s shoulder blades, they’re less likely to fall off like just an ID tag.)

8. Pregnant cat giving birth

It’s typical for pregnant cats to hide. Pregnant cats will often seek out a secluded, private and safe location to bring their kittens into the world.

⚠️ So if you have a stressful household, for example with dogs or children running around, don’t be surprised if your pregnant feline is nowhere to be found.

9. Sickness

Next, another natural cause of cats running away is sickness. When cats are ill, they prefer to go someplace isolated, concealed and quiet to recuperate on their own without any disturbances. And they may decide that the most peaceful spot for them is not on your property.

Read more: How To Tell If Your Cat Is Sick: Signs Your Feline Friend Isn’t Feeling Well

10. Curiosity

Finally, cats often run away just because they are inquisitive creatures who love to explore and follow their curiosities. But while they’re trying to discover new places, either out of distraction or curiosity, many cats get stuck in various narrow places, such as fences, tubs, garages, and even cars! Or they might end up wandering a bit too far from safety when stalking prey.

Why do cats run away…and not come back?

When cats run away, it’s often just for a few minutes, hours, or days at a time. Most likely they will return. According to studies, cats usually don’t travel further than a one mile radius of their home.

However, sometimes, a cat goes missing and doesn’t return – they run away and disappear forever. For reasons that may include:

  • Natural predators, like cougars, wolves, coyotes, snakes, and birds of prey.
  • Disease, injury, or even death – from ticks, other cats, toxic plants, or other dangers outdoors.
  • Animal control picking your cat up and mistaking them from a stray.
  • Theft, especially if your cat is an expensive breed.
  • Intentional loss, like if someone that doesn’t wish your cat well decides to abandon them somewhere or even harm them.

The story of Kiwi the cat, picked up by a moving vehicle

Another common reason why wandering cats may go missing for a longer period of time is if they are accidentally picked up by a moving vehicle. Maybe your cat crawled under the hood of a car, or inside the delivery guy’s van.

This happened to our friend Kiwi the cat, who had an adventure in the back of a van before eventually being reunited with their family again. Her mom Stacy shared the story with us in her Trustpilot review:

“Our cat Kiwi jumped into the back of a van (little to the drivers knowledge). After spotting on my phone that she had left her ‘virtual fence’ I noticed that she was moving quickly and along roads.

She ended up travelling down the motorway, 15 miles away!

Photo from the Grimsby Telegraph - Kiwi the cat rescued by Tractive GPS

With the Tractive App, I found her in a shopping centre car park in the back of the fish van. Without Tractive, who knows where Kiwi would be now…”

Read the full story of Kiwi the cat saved by Tractive GPS

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How missing cats find their way back home

It’s not all bad news when it comes to cats running away. It turns out, our feline friends may be experts at finding their way back home. Here are some factors which can help your feline friend return home on their own:

  • Homing instinct, or their ability to navigate back to a familiar location through unfamiliar areas. It may have something to do with cats’ keen sensitivity to the Earth’s geomagnetic field, which helps them to figure out their way home.2 Just keep in mind that outdoor cats are more likely to have this ability than indoor cats.
  • Cats’ sense of direction, plus their advanced senses of smell, hearing, and vision can help them find their way home from miles away. The presence of iron in cats’ ears and skin may act as a natural compass.

How to stop a cat from running off

Luckily, there are many things a cat parent can do to prevent a cat from running away from home. Even if you have the most adventurous outdoor cat, you have options to keep your feline safe and closeby. Here are some of the best tips for stopping a cat from running away:

  • Get them fixed: spay or neuter your cat to prevent them from running off. Many cat parents are able to worry less about their male cat going missing, once they’ve neutered their cat.
  • Keep your cat inside whenever possible, especially during cold months or at high prey activity times, like dawn and dusk.
  • Cat-friendly relocation: make your move a cat-friendly one.
  • Create a catio aka outdoor cat enclosure so your cat can enjoy the outdoors without the risk of getting lost.
  • Microchip your cat and make sure they have ID tags, so others people will know that your cat already has a family.
  • Entertain and keep your cat stimulated at home with healthy activities & play.
  • Limit your cat’s roaming space by setting up a Tractive GPS Virtual Fence: you’ll be notified if your cat crosses the boundary, and you can bring them inside.
Tractive GPS Virtual Fence for dogs and cats tutorial infographic

Set Up A Virtual Fence

  • Minimize possible escape routes by securing your home, catio, or backyard to make it cat-proof.
  • Train kitty to come home using positive reinforcement.
  • Be mindful of your cat during stressful changes at home – and give them the extra care they need.
  • Provide them with everything they need to thrive at home (food, water, toys, activity, love and healthy stimulation).
  • Use a harness and leash on walks with your cat outside.

Wrapping up: Why do cats run away?

In this article, we covered the 10 main reasons why cats run away. They are:

  • Reproduction
  • Hunting
  • Exploring territory
  • Visiting neighbors
  • Pregnancy
  • Stress
  • Neglect
  • Fear
  • Sickness
  • Curiosity

You can prevent a cat from running away by getting them fixed, keeping your cat inside, using a catio, attaching a GPS cat tracker to your cat’s collar, and by providing them with a loving, nurturing and safe home atmosphere in which they can thrive.

Dark Blue Tractive GPS Cat Tracker Mini packaging

Track your cat wherever they go

See where they are in real-time, no matter how far they roam. Discover their territory. Get alerted if they go too far. Track activity, sleep, and receive health alerts if your cat’s activity changes. Keep your feline friend healthy and safe.

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For more info on if why cats run away and if they come back home, check out the video below:

And if you’ve found this post helpful, share it with a fellow cat parent – and let’s help build a safer world for our feline friends together.