Thread: Wander Lust

Originally Posted by Osiris

I didnt have a torch so he could have been close by but just ignoring me calling him.

It actually can be easier to find missing cats at night than during the day--if you have a big bright flashlight (as we call them). You can simply pan it around and pick up glowing eyes even a couple hundred yards/meters away.

Cats definitely have different movement patterns than dogs. They tend to walk only fairly short distances at a time and then sit to listen/watch for significant periods. Over a day they may cover a wide area, but if they are have been out only 15 minutes or so they are quite likely to still be in your yard or a neighbors. They rarely will come when called if they are outside, however.

Last year I accidentally let three of our MCs go in the garage during the evening without realizing one of the doors was wide open. Luckily only about 15 minutes elapsed before I checked on them and saw the open door. Two of them hadn't even left the garage (the two not used to going outside). The one that is used to going outside with me on a leash had left the garage, but since I knew where she liked to go, I figured I would be able to find her. Sure enough, shined the flashlight into one neighbor's yard and called her, and there was a pair of cat eyes right outside our yard, just sitting and taking in the evening. The first time she got out was the scariest, as she was frightened and hid, and we couldn't find her for an hour (during which we kept expanding the search area outward from the house). Turned out she was literally 10 feet from the house. She eventually made a sound when somebody was nearby and they called her name. I have not forgotten that incident however!