Cats, being naturally curious and adventurous, may occasionally wander beyond the safety of home. While the thought of our furry family members going missing is a situation that cat owners dread, it is unfortunately not uncommon. When it does happen, how long can an indoor cat survive outside?
If you would like to know the odds of your indoor cat surviving an accidental outdoor excursion, join us as we discuss the factors that may affect an indoor cat’s survival outdoors and what you can do to increase their chances of returning home safely.
How Long Can an Indoor Cat Survive Outside? Survival vs. Retrieval
The odds of survival are not the same as the chances of a cat returning home.
An indoor cat’s ability to survive outside depends on factors like adaptability, instinct, and the presence of immediate danger. While these cats possess innate survival instincts, they lack outdoor experience, leading to varied degrees of resilience.
On the other hand, the likelihood of a cat making its way back home or being found hinges more on human elements: the density of the neighborhood, the community’s awareness, and whether the cat is microchipped or has identification.
In urban settings, the chances of being found might be higher than in rural areas due to closer proximity to its owners and more people to notice an unfamiliar cat. Conversely, the likelihood of surviving in such areas might be lower due to hazards like traffic or less available wildlife to hunt.
The number of indoor cats that survive the outside world is higher than the number of cats that are found and returned to their owners. This is especially true if they do not have any identification such as ID tags or microchips that lead finders back to their owners.
Cats without identification may be picked up by animal control or rescues and adopted out or euthanized, or be taken in by someone concerned for their well being. Other cats may survive for longer periods outdoors, learning how hunt, find water, and maybe even joining a feral cat community.
Either way, owners may never know what happened to their cat. What is for certain is that even if a cat learns to survive outdoors, its life expectancy will be greatly diminished. Cats that live strictly outdoors have a life expectancy of just 2 – 5 years, while indoor cats can easily live to be 15-20 years old.
Understanding the Odds: The First 24 Hours
When an indoor cat finds itself suddenly in the outdoors, the odds are immediately stacked against it. It’s not unlikely that an indoor cat, unused to the sights and sounds of nature, will become scared, disoriented and unable to find its way back home.
However, the chances of the cat surviving its first 24 hours outside are very high. Even domestic cats have excellent survival instincts, and they will likely seek out shelter instinctively. They may even be able to find their way back if they don’t stray too far from home.
Provided that they can avoid vehicle traffic, predators, and animal control, cats can easily survive their first 24 hours outside so long as the weather is not extreme. However, extreme heat or cold can quickly become life-threatening, especially for hairless breeds like the Sphynx. Thick-coated breeds like Maine Coon cats are much more able to survive in bad weather.
The first 24 to 48 hours are critical with respect to finding missing cats. During this time, the cats are more likely to be closer to home, and thus easier to find. As well, they can easily survive a couple of days without food or water.
Can an Indoor Cat Survive Outside for Three Days?
While it’s possible for an indoor cat to survive outside for three days, the odds become slimmer with each passing day. After three days, dehydration will have set in unless the cat has found a source of water to drink. Even if they find a source of water, it may be contaminated and lead to illness.
After three days, the cat’s chances of surviving are also now reliant on its ability to find food. While cats have excellent hunting skills, they will likely struggle to catch prey in an unfamiliar environment. They also run the risk of eating something toxic or being injured by larger predators.
Age and the prior health of a cat play significant roles in its ability to survive outdoors this long. Older cats or those with pre-existing health conditions are at a disadvantage when it comes to physical stamina and disease resistance. Prolonged periods without shelter or familiar comforts can make existing health concerns worse or even deadly.
The chances of being found become slimmer with each passing day. The cat may roam farther from home, making it more difficult to find its way back or be found. It may be picked up by animal control, or taken in by someone concerned for its well being.
If the cat does not have ID tags or a microchip, the finder has no way of knowing who to return the cat to. The percentage of indoor cats that manage to survive their adventures is higher than the percentage of cats that are found and returned home.
Unfortunately, unless a cat has some sort of identification, many surviving cats never return home and instead are picked up by animal control and re-adopted or euthanized. Others may continue to survive and live outdoors, perhaps even becoming part of feral cat communities.
Can an Indoor Cat Survive Outside for Seven Days?
Survival for a week or more outside is even more uncertain. Cats that have been missing for this length of time may have perished from dehydration, injury or predation. If still alive, they may be severely dehydrated and malnourished, making it difficult for them to function properly. They may also be injured or ill from their time in the wild.
Cats that have survived to seven days may be starting to adapt to life in the “wild”. They have likely found some amount of water, and are learning how to find their own food.
As natural hunters, any place with abundant rodents and birds can provide plenty of food, so long as the cat is physically capable of hunting. In urban areas, hunting for food may also mean scavenging in garbage and fighting with other feral and stray cats for territory and food.
At seven days, the chances of the cat coming home or being found are becoming dramatically reduced. A study conducted by Liyan Huang et. al (1) found that over 50% of cats that were eventually returned home were found in the first seven days after going missing. After that, the odds of cats being found diminish drastically.
How To Increase The Chances of Finding Your Missing Cat
In Huang’s study of of 1044 missing cats, 601 (58%) were eventually found alive. Over half of these were found in the first few days after going missing, and were more likely to be found if a physical search was conducted.
Huang also found that indoor cats that escaped outdoors did not travel very far. Most were found within 137 m from their home. Cats that went missing for longer periods of time were more likely to be found further from home than those missing for shorter periods of time.
So what can you do to improve your chances of finding your missing cat? First and foremost, take immediate action when you realize your cat is missing. Put something with the cat’s scent on it, like their bed or litter box, outside your home in a sheltered location. Let your neighbors know that your cat is missing and ask them to keep an eye out.
Get outside and start searching, calling their name and shaking a can or bag of their favorite treats. Focus on the area closest to your home, checking hiding spots like under decks and in sheds. Once you rule out those areas, start gradually expanding your search outward from there.
Talk to your neighbors and let them know your cat is missing. Post on social media platforms, put up flyers in the neighborhood and contact local shelters and veterinary clinics. Do not underestimate the power of community awareness in finding a missing pet.
Getting friends and family to help you in your search can increase the chances of finding your cat even further. The more people that are aware and actively looking for your missing cat, the better.
However, this is a double edged sword because of “stranger danger”. Your cat will already be scared and skittish, and may run further away if approached by a complete stranger. If you have people that are strangers to your cat helping, make sure you instruct them to not chase or try to capture your cat, but instead to report any sightings of the cat’s whereabouts.
The Role of Microchipping and Identification
Microchipping is a very useful tool for reuniting lost cats with their owners. These tiny implants, about the size of a grain of rice, are placed beneath the cat’s skin between its shoulder blades. Each implant holds a distinct identification number that is linked to the owner’s contact details.
If your cat is found and taken in by a shelter or veterinary clinic, they will scan for a microchip to try and identify its owner. If you get your cat microchipped, make sure to keep your contact information up to date with the microchip company so that if your cat is found they will be able to contact you.
According to research, the return-to-owner rate for cats was 20 times higher and for dogs 2 ½ times higher for microchipped pets than were the rates of return for all stray cats and dogs that had entered the shelters.
Collars with identification tags are also helpful in finding a lost cat. These tags should include the owner’s name, phone number, and address. If your cat is found by someone in the community, they can easily contact you to return your pet. Make sure the collar is well-fitted and has a breakaway mechanism in case your cat gets caught on something while wandering.
Conclusion: The Balancing Act
Losing a cat is an experience that no pet owner wants to face. It’s filled with uncertainty and fear for the their safety. The steps we take before and after such an event can make all the difference.
Prevention, through the use of identification like microchips and tags, is the key to peace of mind. Quick response, clear-headed strategies, and community support are critical in the initial days of the search.
While some cats may return or adapt to life outdoors, the goal of any pet owner is a safe, speedy reunion. Arm yourself with knowledge, prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5789300/
- https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/235/2/javma.235.2.160.xml
- https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/cat-lifespan-demystified-how-long-do-cats-live
