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If you have a cat that likes to spend much time outdoors, you probably have seen them roam around town. Some cats have severe wanderlust, and you might be wondering just how far away from home your cat will go. The answer is quite surprising, so if you would like to learn more about your cat’s travel habits, keep reading.
The 3 Factors That Affect Cat Travel
1. Sex / Gender
One of the biggest factors that affect how far your cat travels from your home is their sex. Male cats venture farther from home than female cats, and it’s not uncommon to see them as far as 1,500 feet away (more than ¼ mile); some cats will likely venture out even further. On the other hand, female cats stay closer to home, and it’s rare to see them beyond about 750 feet (⅛ mile).
Similarly, the male cat’s territory is usually larger than the female’s. Males protect and watch over a relatively large 153 acres, while females typically worry about only 42 acres. A cat’s territory can stretch further along a river where small rodents are often plentiful, and they may also prefer to avoid wide-open areas like a paved parking lot.
2. Food
Some areas, like rivers and streams, can be home to many small animals like rodents and moles. Snakes, birds, and some fish are easy prey for cats, and their plentiful numbers attract felines to the area. If you are a cat owner, you know that they love to lounge around, and they will likely find a comfortable perch to nap on after a filling meal instead of wandering far away from home. However, if the cat lives in a city or other area where food can be scarce, the cat may need to travel further away from home to find a meal.
3. Mating
One of the biggest reasons male cats travel further than females is that they often need to travel quite a distance to find a mate, while the female stays put and waits for the males to come to her. In many cases, the males will fight over the right to mate, and the loser may need to travel even further. Searching for a mate is likely why some cats can cover more than 150 acres.
How Far Do Cats Walk?
On average, the distance adult cats move when away from home is 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) per day, depending on their needs. However, some cats can cover amazing distances, and one cat named Sugar traveled over 200 miles (322 kilometers) to get back to her hometown in Florida. Scientists were amazed by her ability to cover such a distance and also found it amazing that she was able to navigate her way home.
Should I Let My Cat Outside?
Most experts recommend providing plenty of environmental enrichment to cats and keeping them inside, as they can cause significant environmental damage. Cats kill for food, but they will also kill for fun, and they kill almost anything that moves—even if they have no intention of eating it.
How to Protect My Cat
- The best way to protect your cat from danger is to keep them inside, where they cannot get into a fight with another cat, get poisoned, or get hit by a car.
- Get your cat microchipped while they’re a kitten. The cost is not high, and you are 20 times more likely to have your cat returned if they have one
- Get your cat spayed or neutered. Spayed and neutered cats have much less desire to go outside, will likely stay much closer to home, and will likely get into fewer fights.
- Get your cat vaccinated. While most people get their pets vaccinated, it’s important to mention that doing so can protect your pet from various diseases, including rabies. It’s also important that many of these vaccinations require boosters every few years.
Summary
On average, cats travel approximately 1.5 miles per day, depending on their age, whether they are neutered males or intact, and the weather conditions. Cats can travel much further when looking for a mate, and some cats have traveled hundreds of miles to return home. We strongly recommend keeping your cat inside, but if they need to go out, ensure they have a microchip and all their vaccinations and parasite control medications to minimize risk.
Featured Image Credit: Jenny Margarette, Shutterstock
