15 Tips On How To Keep An Outdoor Cat From Running Away

It can be such a worry. You finally adopt your longed-for rescue kitty, or you finally move from your apartment to a house with a yard, and the first thing your new cat does is head for the door.

Every time you let her outside, she runs away and doesn’t come back for hours. What gives?

Here are a few tips to keep your outdoor cat from running away.

#1. Spay/neuter

Get your kitty spayed or neutered as an unaltered cat is more likely to roam in search of a mate. Getting your cat fixed will help keep her closer to home.

If you have adopted a rescue cat, the rescue or shelter will usually have already taken care of this. It’s also a part of responsible pet ownership, of course.

#2. Microchip

A microchip is a tiny chip that’s inserted under your cat’s skin that contains all of her contact information.

That way, if she does happen to run away, you can be notified as soon as someone finds her and takes her to a veterinarian or shelter to have her chip read.

If your outside cat isn’t chipped, ask your veterinarian about getting it done during her next wellness visit.

It’s a quick and relatively painless procedure that could one day save your cat’s life.

Again, if you’ve adopted a rescue cat the animal shelter or rescue will most likely have already chipped the cat. They will provide you with the microchip details so you can register it with your veterinarian and also the manufacturer’s microchip registry.

Be aware that there are several different microchip manufacturers and many countries don’t have a national microchip registry, so you may only be able to register your cat with your particular chip manufacturer and your veterinarian.

It’s not an ideal system and varies greatly from country to country, so do check how things work in your location.

#3. Safe release collar

Put a safe release collar on your kitty. This is a breakaway collar that will come off if your cat gets snagged on something. This will help prevent her from getting injured or stuck somewhere.

I specifically like the personalized breakaway collars where the cat’s name and phone number are embroidered directly onto them. Of course, this is no use if the cat loses the collar, but better than nothing!

As an additional failsafe, you can also attach a lightweight tag to the cat’s collar with her name, address, and phone number. You can get these printed at many pet stores.

Again, don’t be surprised if this comes off or gets lost. That’s why a microchip is essential as a backup.

#4. GPS tracking collar

A GPS tracker on your cat’s collar will allow you to track your cat’s whereabouts at all times. This can be a great way to find her if she does happen to run away.

Things to consider are the density of your local area (e.g. GPS collars don’t necessarily work best in areas of dense forest), the length of battery life, whether you need to sign up for a monthly subscription, and what distance the tracker can cover.

#5. Train your cat to come when called

This will take some time and patience, but it’s worth it if it means keeping your feline friend safe. Start by calling her while she’s indoors and reward her with a treat if she looks in your direction.

Build on that by tapping or scratching at the ground a bit with your hand to encourage her to come to you, and reward her for that, then gradually move outdoors until she’s coming to you when you can’t even see where she is.

Our stray cat Jeffrey, who we rescued from a Dubai parking lot as a tiny kitten, was well known throughout our neighborhood as we’d go up on the roof of the house at night and call him, and he’d come running along the network of garden walls and let us know he was on his way with his loud, impatient sounding meow: “Yes all right, I’m coming. No need to keep shouting!”

The neighbors all loved it and found it highly amusing. Note, however, that not all neighbors will appreciate having your cats wandering along their back wall or into their yards, so this is definitely something to be cognizant of. Happy neighbors, happy life, so to speak.

#6. Train your cat to respond to her name

This is an extension to #5. If you can train your cat to meow when you call her name you’ll always know where she is if she’s in the vicinity. You can train her using the same technique as training her to come when called.

We’ve found this incredibly useful with our cats, especially Kasper who likes to hang out across the dirt track at the far end of a field. He usually comes home at night, but if he doesn’t, it’s not unheard of for me to go out at midnight in the pitch black, tramping through the uneven snow shaking a packet of Temptations, calling his name.

Eventually, I’ll be rewarded with a plaintive “Meow!” so I know where he is, and from there he’ll come running.

#7. Positive reinforcement

Make sure your cat has plenty of positive experiences in her area, especially if it’s a new environment. Food is the obvious one but play is also enormously reinforcing.

If you play chasing games so your cat has the opportunity to hunt and catch “prey” in the area you want her to stay in, she’ll build up a hugely positive association with that location and be more likely to either stay there or return to it when she goes wandering.

A furry toy mouse on a piece of string, or a wand toy with feathers on the end (e.g. The Cat Fishing Pole or the Da Fish Teaser Wand) are great options for this.

You can also hide other cat toys and treats around the area for her to sniff out and find, again giving her an outlet for her predatory instincts.

All in all, if you make your yard an enjoyable place for your cat to be, she’s more likely to want to stay there.

#8. Daily routine

Cats are creatures of habit, so if you can develop a good routine with your feline friend so she knows what to expect, she may be less likely to explore elsewhere. She’ll certainly learn to come back to her area if she anticipates a reward of some kind.

This might entail feeding her at the same time each day, playing with her at certain times, or just giving her regular cuddles and attention.

#9. Feeding schedule

Having set mealtimes will help you to know when your cat has last eaten, which is useful information if she does go missing.

Again, if your cat knows when the food’s going to be available, she’s highly likely to want to be around at that time.

If you want to try to make sure your cat comes home at night, you can feed her in the morning and then wait till late afternoon/early evening before you feed her again. That way you can get her into the routine of coming back in the evenings and get her into the house so she’ll be safe for the night.

#10. Safe shelter

Your cat’s going to need some kind of shelter if she’s spending any length of time outdoors. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, but just something that provides her with some protection from the elements.

A simple cardboard box turned on its side with a hole cut out for her to get in and out of will do the trick. Place a cozy blanket inside to make it nice and comfy. Straw is also great for insulation.

You can even buy purpose-made cat shelters that are just a bit more robust and weatherproof than a cardboard box.

If you live in an area with extreme temperatures, you might want to consider getting a heated bed or mat for her to sleep on as well, so she can keep warm. (Or, even better, bring her inside).

Cats like to have choices, so if you give her a few different options for shelter she’s likely to feel more secure. Some cats prefer to hide away underneath something whereas others prefer to perch up high so they feel safe.

And don’t forget to put some of her favorite treats in there too, so she associates her shelter with good things. You might want to try putting some catnip in her shelter too, as many cats love the stuff.

#11. Avoid loud or scary noises

Loud noises or sudden, unexpected movements can scare a cat, so it’s best to avoid them if you can. If there’s construction work going on nearby or fireworks being let off, try to keep your cat indoors during these times.

Even things like vacuuming or mowing the lawn can be scary for some cats, so if your cat seems scared or nervous of certain noises, it’s best to avoid them if possible.

Cats can be sensitive creatures so it’s important to try to create a calm environment for her. If she feels safe and secure, she’s less likely to want to run away.

#12. Keep cats safe from dogs

If you have a dog, it’s preferable to keep them away from your cat’s area. Some dogs love to chase cats, and even if your dog just wants to play, the attention and chasing can still scare your cat.

A scared cat is more likely to run away, so it’s best to avoid any situations where your cat might feel threatened or scared. If you have a dog, make sure he’s well trained and supervised when he’s around your cat.

#13. Multiple resources

Provide multiple resources. These should include:

• Places to scratch (different types of scratch posts – although some cats prefer to scratch actual trees if they have the chance)
• Places to hide (e.g. cardboard boxes), and perch on (e.g. a cat tree)
• A litter box
• Food bowls
• Access to fresh water

These resources will also help a cat feel more secure in her environment.

Plus, it will all make your yard more cat-friendly and enjoyable for her overall, which means she’s more likely to want to stay there or return to it after she’s been for a wander.

#14. Leash walks

Walking your cat on a leash is a great way to help her get used to her surroundings and build up her confidence. It’s also a good way for you to bond with her and get some exercise.

Start by walking her around your garden or yard, letting her explore at her own pace. Once she’s comfortable with that, you could even start taking her for walks around the block.

Make sure you go at her pace and let her stop and sniff things as she wants to. And always have plenty of treats on hand to reward her for being a good kitty.

If your cat has never been on a leash before, it’s best to get her used to it gradually. Start by letting her wear her harness around the house for a little while each day, so she gets used to the feel of it. Once she’s okay with that, you can attach the leash.

Then, when you’re ready to go for a walk, start slowly, just walking around your garden or yard.

If she’s resistant at first, don’t force her. Just wait patiently till she’s ready to move on.

When we adopted both Oakley and Rainbow, we walked each of them on a leash around their new house and yard for several days so they got familiar with their territory before they got free rein.

If you feel confident that your cat has got to know her new area and will not stray too far, or that she’ll come back to her home turf if she does go exploring further afield, a handy tip is to make sure she hasn’t eaten for a while when she goes. That way, she’s more likely to return home when she gets hungry.

Also, keep an eye on her when she’s outdoors, especially if she’s a new kitty or you’ve just moved to a new home.

#15. Create a safe enclosure

There are lots of different options here and a safe outdoor environment ensures that you have peace of mind at all times.

You could start by getting creative and making your own safe enclosed area for your cat using items you have around the house, like PVC pipes or chicken wire.

The important thing is to make sure the enclosure is big enough for your cat to move around in and that there are no gaps or holes where she could escape.

If you’re not sure how to build an enclosure, there are plenty of guides and plans online, or you could even hire someone to do it for you.

Once you’ve got your enclosure set up, make sure your cat has access to it at all times. That way, she can go outside and explore without you having to worry about her running away.

Catio

When we lived in the Santa Monica Mountains outside Los Angeles it was important to keep our cats safe from predators such as mountain lions, coyotes, and hawks.

We did this by creating a couple of different options for them. One was a catio, which was really just a verandah, deck, or balcony, that we enclosed with a wooden frame and chicken wire and they had access to via an open door.

When we lived in a high-rise in Dubai, we had a metal worker manufacture and fit an aluminum-type grid to the space between the balcony railing and roof to make sure the cats could nap in the sun and get some fresh air but stayed safe at the same time.

Cat run

Something else we did in Los Angeles was build an actual cat run onto the side of the house, again with a wood frame and chicken wire. We filled it with high shelving and lots of cardboard boxes as hiding places to nap in, and the cats had access via a cat flap in a side door.

They absolutely loved it and we loved it too because we knew they were safe.

Overhead fence

When we moved out of our apartment and into a villa in Dubai we wanted to keep our cats in our yard, so we enlisted the help of a carpenter to attach overhead fencing to the garden wall.

The theory was that the cats wouldn’t be able to jump onto the wall if we installed a netted frame that jutted out at a right angle from the top.

Despite my careful planning, this idea failed spectacularly. The cats used to climb up the tree in the front garden and leap across to the netting, and then lie on top of it surveying their kingdom. With better execution, however, this could have been a great idea!

Easy pet fence

Another option is to have the professionals provide an enclosure for you. Easy Pet Fence has a range of options designed to help keep your cats safe in your yard and prevent them from wandering too far.

Indoor cats vs. outdoor cats

American Humane warns against the risks of allowing cats outside. Certainly, it’s safer to keep your cat indoors at night, as this is when predators are often most active.

Other risks include catching diseases or being injured from fighting with other cats, picking up parasites, traffic, exposure to toxins and poisons, and animal cruelty and/or theft. There is also the fact that many cats will hunt birds and other small animals to consider.

Indoor-only cats can have happy and enriched lives if you provide multiple resources and ensure they have a stimulating indoor environment.

How far do cats roam?

A study by Roetman et al. (2017) into the movement and management of pet cats in South Australia tracked 443 cats and came up with some fascinating results:

• The median home-range size was 1.042 hectares (approx. 2.5 acres).
• The average number of roads crossed per day was 4.8 and the median was 3.4. 
• Male cats had larger home ranges than the average female cat.
• Entire (non-neutered) cats had larger home ranges than neutered cats.
• There was no statistically significant difference in the size of cats’ home ranges between purebred and “moggy” cats.

Wanderers vs. sedentary cats

The study also found that broadly speaking, there are two types of cats: wanderers and sedentary. Wanderers are cats with home ranges greater than one hectare, while sedentary cats have home ranges of one hectare or less.

• Wandering cats typically showed signs of being in fights with other cats more often than sedentary cats.
• Wandering cats were typically seen with prey more often than sedentary cats.
• Wandering cats typically spent less time inside than sedentary cats.
• Wandering cats were typically younger than sedentary cats.
• Wandering cats typically had less provided for them than sedentary cats.
• Regarding time spent with owners, there was no statistically significant difference between wanderers and sedentary cats.
• Cats had larger home ranges at night.

Final thoughts

While it may be safer to keep your cat indoors, many cats enjoy the outdoors and prefer to spend time exploring the outside world. With a little bit of effort, cat owners can create a safe space for their kitty to explore outside so she has a good life – without having to worry about her running away.

Personally, I like my cats to have their freedom, but I can say that because we live in a quiet area surrounded by countryside and forest with virtually no traffic and few wild animals or predators.

When we lived in a more urban environment, or one where predators posed a real threat, we made an informed decision to use a combination of cat fencing, leash walks, and enclosures to keep our cats safe and make sure they lived in an enriched environment.

Do you have a wanderer or a sedentary cat? What do you do to keep her safe? Drop us a line and let us know!

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Resources

• Cat Tracker South Australia: Understanding Pet Cats through Citizen Science – Philip Roetman, Hayley Tindle, Carla Litchfield, Belinda Chiera, Gillian Quinton, K. Kikillus, David Bruce, & Roland Kays
• Indoor Cats vs. Outdoor Cats – American Humane