What your cat really gets up to

Many cat owners would love to find out what their cat gets up to when they're not around. These days, there are ways and means for them to find out!

Recording a cat’s patrol

In recent years, people have made it their mission to discover how cats spend their time when they’re out and about. Small GPS devices can easily be fitted to a cat’s collar, giving humans the ability to track their journeys 24 hours a day. Some felines have even taken to wearing cameras when on the prowl, providing viewers with a kitty-eyed perspective on life.

Where do cats go?

Whilst cats usually stay within a 3-4 house radius of their own home, the results of these tracings shock many owners, with cats covering incredible distances throughout their day. Amongst climbing, running, and exploring surrounding gardens, video footage has recorded cats intruding on their neighbours via cat flaps, taking naps on their beds, and eating food which wasn’t intended for them!

Recordings often show how cats manage their territories within a small area. A cat will use their scent to mark where they have been, which signals to other cats what time the mark was made and who made it, before they leave the area. Some cats’ territories will overlap so, to prevent fights, the cats work out a kind of rota system so they can each patrol their patch.​

The pros of an outdoor life

Being out and about daily is not only great for a cat’s physical health. Their mental health is also positively affected by the vast number of sights, sounds, and smells around them, all of which stimulate their senses.

An outdoor cat gets lots of exercise in fresh air, which means they’re far less likely to become overweight. Being let outside gives your cat the chance to express their natural behaviours, whilst also enabling them to briefly escape any causes of stress within the home. They’ll scratch on trees instead of your furniture, patrol their patch, and indulge their hunting instincts, helping to deter rodents from making themselves at home in or around yours.

If you wanted a better understanding of your own cat’s movements, pet trackers are readily available from several popular retailers.

Peace of mind with Cat Insurance

So, now we know what our kitties get up when out of sight, perhaps it’s time to pause for thought and consider getting Cat Insurance. After all, it’s important to ensure they remain healthy and happy on their journeys.