How do you get a new cat to know where to come back to your house after it has gone out?

Question

How do you get a new cat to know where to come back to your house after it has gone out?

Answer 1

They just kind of know.  If your worried leave some food on the porch...Or keep her indoors...Indoor cats live longer..or so my cat book told me...and also spay or nueter if you already did not...Thanks!

Answer 2

if your house has windows let it look outside for at least a week. your cat may plead but you must resist. also, when you do let her out, she/he must be wearing a collar and be used to wearing one. if your cat will not tolerate a collar and you've tried repeatedly for at least a month, than you've got yourself an indoor cat.

Answer 3

First of all, you don't let a new cat go outside. Assuming your kitty finds her way back to you, you must take the time to bond with this animal. You have a living creature there, and even a homing pigeon has to develop a sense of "home" in order to return to it. Consider this, if you get her back: let her be an indoor cat. They are much healthier, they live longer, they have fewer illnesses ($$$$) and can be your very best friend for the next 20 years with proper care from you. Have a look at some of the online booksellers and get yourself a few books on cat care. They are worth their weight in gold (so is a happy kitty).

Answer 4

Keep it indooors!!

indoor cats live upto 5 years longer then outdoor cats.  

outdoor cats will most likely get fleas, run over by a car, or get into a fight with another cat. its not safe!

Answer 5

They usually know where to come back to,From experience,My best friend(cat) went out side one evening and that was the last time I saw her 3 months ago.It is best to keep cats indoors.

Answer 6

Get them used to the house first, if possible.  Let that feel like home before letting them out.  

Go out with them into the yard.  Reward them when they come home - affection/ attention not treats all the time.

They're smart.  They figure things out like this pretty well.

Answer 7

Don't let your cat outside.

Answer 8

cats spray to mark their territories.  That's how they find their way back.  

However, your cat may be killed by another cat (it's a new neighborhood, after all) or get worms from eating various dead things, or get trapped by an angry neighbor who's tired of finding cat p**p in her garden.  

Outdoor cats also have a higher risk of developing feline leukemia.

Try to keep your cat indoors, or you could buy an outdoor playpen for it.

Answer 9

Just keep the cat inside for a week or so to allow it to become accostomed to the smells and everything of the house. Then when you let your cat out, even if it wanders off a little, it will know the smell of you and its house and will come back. This is what we do with my cat, whenever we go somewhere new, and he has always come back. I hope this helps.