What Your Cat Really Gets Up To

February 02, 2021

Many cat owners would dream to find out what their cat gets up to when they're not around. The lucky villagers of Shamley Green in Surrey were given the fantastic opportunity to find out!

The recent BBC documentary Horizon the Secret Life of the Cat, saw Royal Veterinary College students following the behaviour of 50 cats from the village.

The 50 cats were each fitted with GPS devices to track their journeys 24 hours a day, with some even wearing cameras to provide a kitty- eyed perspective on life.

The studies showed some results that would shock most owners, with one cat covering incredible distances throughout their day. Video footage showed other cats intruding into their neighbours cat flaps and eating food which wasn’t intended for them!

One of the most interesting facts from the study is how cats manage their territories within a small village. A cat uses their scent to mark where they have been and Dr Sarah Ellis says:

"Imagine the cat is putting down a Post-it note. It says what time it was there, who it was and then it leaves that area".

But there is more to this than we think, results showed that some cats territories in the village overlap, so to prevent fights the cats have worked out a rota system so they can each patrol their patch.

The documentary has inspired other cat owners to follow suit, with purchases of GPS devices apparently increasing by 350%.

Peace of mind with cat insurance

So now we know what our kitties get up to after dark, it is important to "paws for thought" and consider getting cat insurance, to ensure they remain healthy and happy on their journeys.

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