Why Do Male Cats Run Away [6 Reasons]

If you own a male cat, you’ve probably found yourself asking, “Why do male cats run away?” I’ve had many male cats over the years, and most of the time they’ll stay near me or follow me around the house.

But occasionally, I’ll come down the stairs and find him nowhere to be found.

Throughout this post, we will be discussing why male and female cats run away from home.

Table of Contents show

Why Do Male Cats Run Away?

Male cats go on the run for different reasons, but two of the most common ones are territorial disputes and the desire to mate.

When a male cat is on the run, he will typically move from home to home, looking for a new territory to call his own.

If a male cat is on the run because he wants to mate, he may be traveling to find a female cat.

Cats are very much like people. Some are more outgoing than others. Some are loners and some love to be around others.

There are many reasons why cats might want to explore their surroundings. Also, read about where both feral and stray cats sleep.

Reasons Why Male Cats Run Away

Have you ever wondered why your cat keeps running away?

Cats are known for being mysterious creatures that do what they want when they want.

One thing that’s commonly accepted about cats is that they’re not all that keen on commitment. But why do male cats run away?

Here are a few reasons why male cats might run away, and what to do about it.

Reproductive Purposes

Male cats run away from their owners for a variety of reasons, none of which are contradictory or debatable.

Even if you can alter this factor, a male cat will always be a male cat.

If a male cat is not regulated, he can roam for a long distance in pursuit of a female cat, which will keep him away from his owner.

When a male cat reaches a certain age, he will develop a sexual drive that must be managed, and if you do nothing, your male cat may abandon his home and never return.

A male cat can run away with a female cat into the woods, where it will eventually become a wild cat if not hunted down and retrieved.

How to stop male cats from running away because of reproductive reasons

Neutering is the most effective approach to prevent male cats from fleeing their owners due to reproductive concerns (this is the removal of a male reproductive organ).

The sexual desire that causes your male cat to dash outside in search of a female cat is controlled by the male reproductive organ, which may or may not return.

Another successful method is to cat-proof your home to keep the male cat inside (this is building a cat fence around the compound).

Hunting Instincts

Do you know that your male cat can chase a mouse up to 20 meters away from your home?

If your male cat continues to chase the mouse over time, don’t count out the possibility that your cat will become trapped and never return home.

Cats are natural hunters with excellent hunting instincts who can survive in the wild, therefore you can expect to see your male cat displaying hunting tendencies from time to time, especially if you live near the woods or bush.

How to control male cat’s hunting instincts

To be honest, it is tough to train a cat’s hunting instincts; if you know of someone who has done so, please let me know.

No matter how well you teach your cat, its reflexes to the sight of a mouse will reveal its excellent hunting instincts.

That being stated, let’s have a look at several options for controlling this.

From my experience, the simplest solution is to simply prevent your cat from leaving your compound.

Because if you erect a fence around your compound, every mouse that trespasses or crosses over the fence will be killed. It’s a no-go for such a mouse to return.

Cats will always be smarter than rats, no matter how you look at them. If a mouse jumps the fence, it is killed.

So the simplest way is to cat-proof your home and also make sure you don’t have rodents around your home.

Territorial issues

Male cats are territorial by nature and do not like to compete with other animals.

As a result, if a male cat encounters a larger or stronger animal in his area, the male cat is likely to flee.

An older dog in your area can drive your male cat to flee from home, and even your full-grown neighbor turkey will continue to flee from your male cat in a safe setting.

Another fully grown male cat can even drive your male cat away, but it won’t return to this setting unless you follow your cat and recover.

How to protect male cats from predators

One of the best methods to address this is to track your cat’s activities.

If you don’t have time, you can hire someone to track your cat and provide you with the results of your cat’s movements on a daily basis for at least a week.

Another successful method is to construct a cat-proof fence around the exact area where your cat regularly rests; this is similar to constructing your cat hunting ground but in a larger or more natural approach.

A fantastic method to know or monitor your cat’s whereabouts or movements is to utilize one of the best cat tracking devices like this or this.

This will also provide you with inner peace of mind, knowing that you will always be able to track your cat.

Abuse, a lack of concern, and an excess of freedom

Why won’t your cat flee if you let him roam from one setting to another like a stray cat?

Your cat must have had two or more fights with other cats before the end of the day.

Do you believe your cat would not flee if another cat lover a few blocks away felt more at ease feeding and even playing with your cat?

Male cats will always believe that they can get along or live in the wild because of the cat’s hunting instincts.

If you torment or beat them always, one day the day before coming home, they will be far gone.

It’s simple to advise your cat to try a different setting if you don’t care about your hangover.

If you give your cat too much freedom, they will roam far from home, if you abuse your cat they will run away if you show less concern they will run away as well.

Build a fence around your cat and don’t let it go up and down the street or throughout the neighborhood; this will make them feel insecure near your house.

Don’t punish your cat for making a mistake; instead, take your time and correct them when they make a mistake.

Also, stop yelling at your male cat; this will make him feel unloved and unwelcome in your house.

Limit the amount of freedom you give your cat by not allowing them to roam where they want and return when they want.

Stress

Stress is a major reason why male cats run away from home, and most times depending on how you trained them they may or may not come home again.

The arrival of a new family member or a pet may be stressful for male cats and may force them to run away from home.

Loud noises and sounds may also be stressful for male cats, so ensure your male cat gets a good environment to reduce its chances of running away.

Depressions in cats are mostly caused by stress, and this can cause a male cat to run away from home.

Stress can also force a male cat to go into hiding. However, there are ways to solve the problem of cat hiding.

Seeking Better Environment

If you move to a new city, your male cat may flee if he notices you making arrangements or relocating.

Even if you move to a different city, your male cat may flee if the atmosphere is not cat-friendly.

When you are not caring for your female cat and her kittens, she may flee in search of a better habitat.

Always provide a pleasant cat-like atmosphere for your male cat; if your environment is not cat-friendly, your cat will not stay with you long.

Assume your neighbor’s kids are always throwing stones at your cat while you’re not looking.

If you have such an atmosphere, your cant is likely to flee and never return.

New family members can make the complex noisy or may attack or chase your cat, giving your male cat a high probability of fleeing but yet returning home from time to time if such a family member is out.

Introducing a new animal may make your cat feel uneasy, and this may result in your cat fleeing to another area.

Learn more about cats missing for a week and what to do.

Ways to Recover a Lost Male Cat

Recovering a lost male cat can be a stressful and challenging experience.

Here are some common ways to increase the chances of successfully bringing your cat back home:

Search your immediate surroundings: Start your search close to home, as it’s possible that your cat is nearby hiding in a small space or corner.
Search at night: Cats are crepuscular animals; they are active during the dawn and dusk, so searching during the nighttime can be helpful to spot your cat.
Spread the word: Inform your neighbors, friends, veterinarian, and local animal shelter about your lost cat. They might keep a lookout for your cat, or someone may have taken notice of a stray cat in their garden or backyard.
Check the shelters: Check with your local animal shelters or rescue organizations. It’s possible that someone might have dropped off your cat there if they thought it was a stray.
Check online lost and found pet websites: Nowadays, many websites allow pet owners to create a listing with a photo and description for lost and found pets, so it may be worth checking such websites.
Put up posters: Post flyers with your cat’s photo and information in nearby public spaces like shops, community centers, and parks.
Use social media: Share your lost cat information and pictures on social media platforms to increase the reach and circulation of the information.
Use food and familiar items: Place the cat’s food bowl, litter box, bedding, or toys near the area where your cat went missing. The scent of familiar things can help your cat remember where its home is.
Consider using a cat trap: If your cat is extremely shy or hiding, sometimes using a humane cat trap, baited with food or a familiar scent, can encourage them to come out of hiding.

Learn more about why your cat wants to go outside and what to do.

FAQs

Why Do Female Cats Run Away From Their Homes?

Female cats flee from their homes for a variety of reasons, including reproductive difficulties, mother-child protective instincts, birth complications, and the discovery of a better-come habitat.

Other causes include abuse, inadequate care, a lack of time on the part of their owners, and the presence of larger or stronger animals.

Do female cats leave home when in heat?

Yes, female cats run away from home when they are in heat, this is because they become restless, seeking a male cat for reproductive reasons.

Therefore, you have to spray your female cat to avoid running away from home because they are on heat.

Why do cats leave home for days?

Cats leave their homes for days for a variety of reasons, including reproduction, hunting instincts, the discovery of a better environment, mistreatment, insufficient care, a lack of time on the side of their owners, and the presence of larger or stronger animals.

Do neutered male cats run away?

Yes, a neutered male cat irrespective of being neutered can run away because of territorial disputes, lack of proper care, stress, hungry or hunting purposes.

Learn more about why cats disappear without a trace.

Why do cats run away from their owners?

Cats run away from their owners for a variety of reasons including reproduction, hunting instincts, the discovery of a better environment, mistreatment, insufficient care, a lack of time on the side of their owners, and the presence of larger or stronger animals.

Learn more about why cats may run away.

Conclusion

Male cats are just as prone to running away as female cats are.

They can be independent, and they might be looking for a new territory or a female cat to mate with.

So if your male cat is missing, you may want to:

Check around the house first. Sometimes they stay in the vicinity of their home.
Put a collar on him. Cats don’t always like collars, but if you can get him to wear one without any visible signs of discomfort, he’ll be more easily identified and returned to you.
Get him neutered. The neutering surgery (a.k.a. orchiectomy) is an