Lost or Displaced?
To better assist in your search it helps to understand some common instinctual behavior in cats. Determining whether they are lost, or displaced will help you to narrow down how and where to start looking.
LOST
DISPLACED
Displaced pets are in unfamiliar territory. Frequently this happens when you move and your cat gets out before it has accepted the new place as home. It generally takes about two weeks before your cat will understand and accept that this is where you live now. It is advisable to keep your cat confined in a new place for at least two weeks so that they may adjust. If they do get out they may try and find their way back to the old place.
FELINE INSTINCTS
Cats are predatory creatures, therefore they are aware they too can become prey. For this reason your cat may behave differently while lost. Even if he generally comes running for treats at the rattle of the treat bag, while lost he may refuse to respond. He knows that he is vulnerable to predatory animals & instinctively wants to be undetected. This means being as quiet and still as possible. Sometimes even closing his eyes to avoid being seen. When you come screaming his name throughout the neighborhood, he’s thinking “ssshhhh, you’re gonna show them where I’m at!!!!! Shut up!!!!” This doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you, or doesn’t want to come home. It simply means his instincts have kicked on and he’s in survival mode.
Cats are predatory creatures, therefore they are aware they too can become prey. For this reason your cat may behave differently while lost. Even if he generally comes running for treats at the rattle of the treat bag, while lost he may refuse to respond. He knows that he is vulnerable to predatory animals & instinctively wants to be undetected. This means being as quiet and still as possible. Sometimes even closing his eyes to avoid being seen. When you come screaming his name throughout the neighborhood, he’s thinking “ssshhhh, you’re gonna show them where I’m at!!!!! Shut up!!!!” This doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you, or doesn’t want to come home. It simply means his instincts have kicked on and he’s in survival mode.
PERSONALITY
Depending upon your cats personality it may take some time for him to muster up the courage to venture out of hiding. Brave and bold cats may show up in a day, while more skittish cats could take several.
"Cats will follow other cats to the food source."
SURVIVAL
A cat can only survive about 3 days without water , but about two weeks without food. Not to fret, cats are very resourceful. He will likely find water in a puddle, dripping faucet, or other accessible collection of water. Cats will follow other cats to find the food source. There are plenty of good Samaritans that leave food out for stray animals and some neighborhoods even have feral feeders. If he gets desperate there are mice, bugs, birds and even garbage to eat. When my cat Ely was returned after a month and a half of being lost in the wild he was fatter than ever! Somehow he appeared to not have even missed a meal!
DON'T........
Believe everything you hear. Don't buy into stories of coyotes and other predators. Although it does happen it doesn't mean it happened to your cat. Cats are smarter than than you give them credit for. When faced with unfamiliar territory instinct kicks in and they know what to do.
Make assumptions- Days, weeks and even months may pass with no sightings. That doesn't mean kitty is gone forever, it just means he hasn't been found. He may have even been adopted by someone thinking he is a stray. Renew your flyers so people know kitty is still lost.
Don't Give Up!
Unlike dogs Its not unusual for cats to be out roaming around on their own, therefore people don't tend to notice them as much and consider they might be lost.Your cat may not think hes lost at all. He could just be out exploring and will come back once he's hungry and satisfied his sense of curiosity.