Have you ever looked outside your window and seen a strange cat wandering around your yard or driveway? A feline visitor can be puzzling, especially if you don’t own a cat yourself. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore all the reasons a cat may end up outside your house and what you can do about it.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: A cat outside your house is likely a neighborhood stray or owned cat out exploring, looking for food or shelter, or drawn in by something interesting in your yard.
Offer food, water, and shelter if needed, but avoid taking the cat inside as it may belong to someone else.
Your Neighborhood’s Stray Cat Population
Strays looking for food or shelter
Many stray cats end up wandering neighborhoods because they get lost or abandoned and need to find basic necessities like food, water, and shelter (1). Feral colonies can form when an unspayed female cat has a litter and teaches her kittens to fend for themselves outdoors.
While some strays were once pets, others have lived outdoors their whole lives.
Intact stray cats roaming and breeding
Intact stray cats that are not spayed or neutered have the ability to reproduce at high rates. According to research, one unspayed female cat can lead to the birth of over 420,000 kittens in just 7 years(2). As strays mate, their offspring contribute to the growing stray population.
This is why spay/neuter programs for strays are so critical to control overpopulation.
Strays drawn in by food sources nearby
- Unsecured trash cans and compost bins. Strays forage for scraps in easy-to-access locations.
- Bird feeders and pet food bowls left outside. These attract rodents that cats hunt, and cats will eat the pet food too.
- Dense vegetation and outbuildings. These provide shelter for strays to establish semi-permanent homes.
While many strays appear perfectly healthy, living outdoors puts them at risk of disease, car accidents, and extreme weather
Owned Cats Roaming and Exploring
Outdoor cats patrol a large territory
It’s natural for cats to be curious and want to explore their surroundings. Unlike dogs, cats are not territorial about their homes and instead see their entire neighborhood as their domain. An outdoor housecat’s territory can range from 1 to 6 acres in size depending on the environment.
This allows them to patrol a wide area in search of food, mates, and adventure. According to a study by UC Davis, male outdoor cats in urban areas roam an average of 90 meters from home, while rural male cats roam an average of 350 meters from home.
Outdoor cats use their excellent sense of smell to identify the boundaries of their territory, often leaving scent markings by rubbing up against trees, fences, and bushes. They also patrol the perimeter looking for intruder cats and listening for distressed kittens or potential mates.
A cat’s territory often overlaps with other neighborhood cats, sometimes leading to turf wars. However, they usually manage to work it out with plenty of posturing, intimidating stares, and the occasional hiss or swat.
Indoor cats escape outside
While some cat owners choose to let their cats roam outside, others prefer to keep their cats safely indoors at all times. However, even the most vigilant cat owner may experience the occasional escape when a door or window gets accidentally left open.
Indoor cats that find themselves outside will likely feel disoriented at first. Their natural instincts will kick in to explore and patrol the new environment just like an outdoor cat.
According to the American Humane Society, an indoor cat allowed outside for the first time will probably stay within 50 feet of the door they escaped through for the first few hours. However, as they get more comfortable, their curiosity will push them to wander farther.
Indoor cats are often skittish when outside and can get spooked by loud noises like cars or dogs barking. It’s important to try to find an escaped indoor cat quickly before they get lost or injured.
Kittens and cats in heat roam farther
Kittens under one year old and unspayed female cats in heat are especially prone to roaming farther from home. Young kittens are brimming with energy and very curious about exploring their surroundings. They love to stalk bugs in the grass, climb trees, and generally get into mischief.
According to the ASPCA, kittens have a tendency to wander up to a mile away within the first week of being allowed outside. This makes them vulnerable to getting lost, injured, or picked up by strangers.
Intact female cats seeking male cats to mate with are also motivated to patrol a larger territory and follow interesting scents. Their strong heat cycles every 2-3 weeks will send them much farther than normal in search of romance.
These cats in heat are at high risk for getting run over by cars as they obsessively pursue potential mates. That’s why it’s so important to spay female cats before their first heat around 5-6 months old.
Something in Your Yard Attracts Cats
Food sources like small prey or trash
Cats have a strong sense of smell and can detect food sources from quite a distance. If there is a ready supply of prey animals like mice, voles or chipmunks in your yard, it can be a powerful lure for neighborhood cats looking for an easy meal.
They are natural hunters and will patrol areas where such prey is abundant. Cats also love human food scraps, so improperly disposed trash or even compost piles can draw them in. Once they find a reliable food source on your property, they are likely to return again and again.
Shelter like bushes, decks, or sheds
In addition to food, cats also seek out locations that provide shelter from the elements and feel safe and hidden. Areas like dense bushes, underneath porches or decks, and sheds or outbuildings allow cats to get out of the weather and rest comfortably.
They can also use these spots to conceal themselves when hunting prey or observing the yard. A sheltered, secluded spot that feels like a safe den is very appealing to a cat. If your yard provides tempting hiding spots, don’t be surprised to find cats making themselves at home.
Scent markers from other cats
Cats have scent glands around their face, paws and tail area which they use to mark territory and communicate with other cats. When a cat rubs, scratches or sprays in a particular area, they leave both a visual and smelly marker declaring “this spot belongs to me!”.
If your yard already has scent markers from other neighborhood cats, it will attract more cats wishing to investigate and leave their own markers. Unneutered male cats in particular are drawn to the scent cues of other cats and will be eager to make their presence known.
Reducing or eliminating cat scents can help make your yard less appealing.
Plants like catnip or grass
Some plants contain compounds that are irresistible to cats. Catnip is the most well-known, producing a euphoric reaction in about 50-75% of cats when they smell or eat it. Rolling around and rubbing on catnip plants is a delightful experience for them.
Grass is also highly attractive since cats have an instinctive need to chew on grass plants. This helps them cough up indigestible material like hairballs. If your yard contains plants known to appeal strongly to cats, don’t be shocked when the neighborhood cats drop by to indulge.
Consider removing or fencing off the plants to reduce visits.
What to Do About a Strange Cat
Finding an unfamiliar cat loitering around your property can be a confusing situation. While your first instinct may be to bring the cat inside, especially if the weather is bad, there are some steps you should take first.
Avoid taking the cat inside
Bringing an unfamiliar outdoor cat into your home comes with potential risks. The cat may belong to someone else and could carry fleas, ticks, worms, or contagious illnesses that can spread to your pets. The cat may also demonstrate unpredictable behavior in a new environment.
Provide food, water, and shelter
If you decide not to take the stray cat into your house immediately, you should still ensure its basic needs are met. Place fresh food and water in a covered location near where the cat has been spotted resting. You can also set up a makeshift shelter for protection from wind, rain, or snow.
Check for identification
Closely inspect the cat for any form of identification, such as a collar with contact information for the owner or tags with the cat’s name and address. If available, contact the owner right away. About 30-40% of lost cats who wind up at animal shelters have some form of ID.
If you discover identification, temporarily taking the cat inside while locating the owner may be the best option.
Bring to a vet or shelter to scan for a microchip
If the stray cat has no identification, try taking it to the nearest veterinary clinic or animal shelter. Most shelters and vet offices now have universal microchip scanners they can use to detect if there is an implanted ID chip with a unique code and registered contact information.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, this greatly ups the chances a lost cat will be reunited with its family.
Dealing with a stray cat prowling around your home requires making some thoughtful choices. By meeting its immediate needs while also attempting to locate an owner, you will be giving the cat the best chance of returning to where it belongs.
Conclusion
A cat outside your home, whether owned or a stray, is likely just looking for food, shelter, a place to rest, or interesting smells and creatures in your yard. By understanding common cat behaviors and providing a few amenities like food bowls and shelter, you can help care for your neighborhood cat community humanely.
Avoid taking cats inside without checking for identification first, as the cat may belong to someone nearby.
If a friendly stray starts regularly visiting your yard, consider taking it to the vet to check for a microchip and following protocols to find the owner or rehome the cat. With some patience and care, the mystery of your feline visitor can be solved!
