Do cats who "get lost" (leave) come back?

[UTUSN]

Disclaimer: I'm a dog person and know absolutely NOTHING about cats except that this woman told me she was SPRAYED by a cat, which I foud disgustng.

Anyway, my friend told me today that one of her two cats has been gone for two days. SO. I've heard animal beings return over long distances and time.

'splain, to me.

[Duer 157099]

1. Depends on why the cat left.

If the cat got lost somehow, and knows it's home territory pretty well, it may return home.

If the cat ran away for greener pastures, it may never come home, unless someone finds it and returns it.

I found a cat once who had run away from home, and after returning it, it was miserable so it's previous owner actually ended up giving the cat to me and I had her for many many happy years after that.

Cats are enigmas.

[UTUSN]

3. "Cats are enigmas" - Bwa-ha-HAH!1

I love my humble DOGS. Not enigmas, just SIMPLE LOVE.

[Neoma]

16. Cats love.

The main difference between cats and dogs are this:

Dogs: Extroverts
Cats: Introverts

Dogs are pack animals.
Cats aren't.

My friend asked her cat today, "How you doing, huh? *pets pets*" the Christmas tree was taken down recently. The cat walked over where it used to be, stared at it, then laid her ears back and walked away. That was her tantrum. Cats aren't always enigmas. Though I admit, that cat is the most trainable and perceptive cat I've ever known...

Cats don't communicate by being trained and saying what limited volcabulary you've given it. They train you.

[ret5hd]

2. two days is ok...3 or 4 and it is probably gone for good...

unless the cat was unhappy then it might show up from time to time but won't move back in.

[baldguy]

5. .

[femmocrat]

6. We had a cat who would take off for days. He always came back and we had him for 20 years!

Once he was gone for 10 days in deep snow. I would go out and call him every day. It was a beautiful sight to finally see him bounding over the snow on his way home!

[murielm99]

7. Maybe they are time travelers.

[OxQQme]

8. The Cat Came Back

http://www.nfb.ca/film/the-cat-came-back/

Lyrics: http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/c020.html

[grasswire]

9. in my experience, they try to come back

Years ago my ex husband dumped our family cat in another neighborhood to get rid of him. Said he disappeared. Ten days later, the dear kitty showed up at a previous residence and a neighbor called me to tell me. He had to cross the Dulles Toll Road and travel about six miles to get home. I didn't even recognize him for a moment -- he was so dirty. He had a particular stripe on his leg and I saw it. Loved that dear cat for seventeen years.

Another time a cat was shut in a neighbor's garage for more than a week.

I HATE it when a pet is lost. Breaks my heart.

[barbtries]

10. sometimes they come back

sometimes they go away to die. sometimes they get run over. sometimes they get adopted by somebody else.

[kimi]

11. Those pets who have a strong bond with their companions

will try hard to come back if they can. If they are confused, elderly or disabled, it's difficult for them.

One of our cats got out of the house several years ago. She'd been strictly indoor for years. We hunted for her for weeks, posted flyers, went door to door in our neighborhood for blocks around, checked the animal shelter every other day - I even consulted an animal psychic. She's my middle boy's cat, and the day before he was set to leave for college, the shelter called and said that she'd been turned in. Well, you can imagine the emotion.

She'd been found one block off of our neighborhood grid, had been there for weeks (thanks, psychic cat lady! ppfftt).

So, long story short - some come back, some don't. If you make the effort, there is the distinct possibility that the pet will be found. It never hurts to try. Best of luck to your friend.
Edit for spelling.

[riderinthestorm]

12. Tell your friend her cat is coming over to my place. They always do.

All of my barn cats have either been dumped here or wandered here themselves. They never leave. I do take them in to check for a microchip and to get fixed if they aren't already.

So chances are, your friend's cat will come on over here as well. It's a most excellent life filled with pets and mousing adventures....

[PassingFair]

13. I had a cat disappear for 3 days....

on the fourth day, my friends told me to just forget about him, that
he was probably hit by a car or something.

I went out ONE LAST TIME to call for him, and out he popped from
behind the apartment building!

My other cat was over the MOON with happiness.

[suninvited]

14. A couple of cat stories

We had taken in this old orange cat stray one time, always intending to find him a home after he was nursed back to health. Almost everyone I knew I asked if they wanted that cat. Finally after about a year a friend of mine said she would love to have him. He was a sweet, lovable cat, he just looked a little rough from his years being a Tom (we had him nuetered). We took him to his new home, which was about a mile from our house. About a week later, he showed back up at our house. We took him back to his new home. He showed back up. This went on for a while until we just gave up and kept him. We changed his name to Boomerang ( I don't even remember his original name).

Another time we had a very curious and exploring cat named Gimpy Cat (given to him after he got bitten on the back leg by a big old mean cat which tore a tendon and required many vet visits, and he walked with a limp forever after) who went missing one day. He was gone for almost two weeks. I was so worried about him the whole time and had never been so attached to a cat in my life which was filled with many cats. I cried many times and looked for him every single day. One day, when I had just gotten back from the animal shelter where I checked what they had picked up and went over the dead animals list for the umpteenth time, I came to the realization he was not coming home. I had a good, long cry and was working at my desk (I lived two houses down from my office) when there was a sudden really violent thunderstorm. The storm was very loud but over the roar I started hearing the unmistakable sound of meowing. I ran to my office door and opened it, and there was one very skinny, very wet and very mad Gimpy Cat. He had obviously been trapped somewhere. Someones garage or shed or in a car or something because I don't think he had any food or water the entire time he was gone. He was so hungry and dehydrated.

[rainbow4321]

15. We had one accidently get out and she came back 2 or 3 days later

she was my one (of two) of my daughter's cats that I brought home with me when she graduated from college and needed a place for them to stay.
She had let them wander in and out of her house when she had them but when they moved in with me I was absolutely terrified that they would get lost/never return and I would be filled with guilt for "losing them". She kept trying to tell me that they always come back when she let them out, etc...
One got out of the house when my other daughter opened the door for the dogs. I searched the neighborhood all night, cried alot, called the one daughter with the bad news. She tried to put up a good front but I could tell she was sad.
Two or three days later, I was out on our front porch and I heard a familiar jingling sound. It was the sound of the lost cat---the sound was that of her cat name tags! She came strolling down our street like she was just out for a stroll. And this was in a neighborhood that she had never stepped foot out into until the day she ran off.

[KT2000]

17. Three months

When I was a kid - One of our cats ran when his sister was hit by a car. We thought he was gone for good. Three months later I was at my elementary school and a friend ran in the building yelling "Archie is out on the playground!" This was about a half a mile from home. He was skinny and just sittin gin the middle of the playground. I took him home where he lived a nice long life.

My neighbors were building their house on the weekends and would go home on Sunday (about 180 miles). Their cat ran off right before they were ready to leave on Sunday. Every weekend they would search for the cat. About 3 months later they were driving home on Sunday and about 4 miles from the house they were building - an orange cat ran in front of their car. The woman said it was their cat Stubby, so they stopped and searched the side of the road for the cat. Finally he came out and it was their cat. He was on his way to their house 180 miles away.

With cats you just never know.