Comments on: Will Cat Litter Attract a Lost Cat?

By: Both My Missing Cats Came Home a Few Hours After I Tried This One Thing - Zen Kitty World

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 06:01:54 +0000

[…] Some cat behaviorists advise against putting their litter outside. […]

By: How Far Can A Cat Smell Their Litter Box? | Cat Guide

How Far Can A Cat Smell Their Litter Box? | Cat Guide — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:05:32 +0000

[…] but how far they can smell their litter box depends on wind, weather, and litter box cleanliness11. They can smell it a few hundred feet away under the right conditions11. […]

By: Putting Litter Box Outside for Lost Cat: Does It Work?

Putting Litter Box Outside for Lost Cat: Does It Work? — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:25:19 +0000

[…] Some cat owners swear by the litter box method. Mary, a contributor to the Lost Pet Research and Recovery blog, shares a compelling experience: “I recommended putting the cat’s litterbox outside, and the cat quickly came home. In one case, a cat that had been missing for several days came home within 10 minutes of the box being outside”? (Lost Pet Research and Recovery)?. […]

By: Kendall L

Kendall L — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 11:41:03 +0000

In reply to Catfoster. maybe not if they're outdoor cats and have been there for awhile. indoor only cats are a different story.

By: How Far Can Cats Hear And Smell: Feline Sensory Superpowers

How Far Can Cats Hear And Smell: Feline Sensory Superpowers — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 08:09:25 +0000

[…] Will Cat Litter Attract a Lost Cat? – Lost Pet Research and Recovery […]

By: How Far Away Can Cats Smell Their Home? Unveiling Feline Scent Secrets

How Far Away Can Cats Smell Their Home? Unveiling Feline Scent Secrets — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 08:09:50 +0000

[…] Will Cat Litter Attract a Lost Cat? – Lost Pet Research and Recovery […]

By: Kristine

Kristine — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 23:09:41 +0000

In reply to Claudia. Glad it worked for you, but it is proven to attract predators, coyote trappers even use it to trap coyotes, so REALLY not worth the risk!! Cats can smell their trail just fine, especially if used to being outdoors during the day, and inside at night. The best thing people can do is actively search, especially to make SURE not trapped in a nearby neighbors SHED, etc, which happens more often than some realize, AND cats kidneys can start to shut down in as little as 3 days without water, so CRUCIAL to make SURE not trapped somewhere OR laying hurt in bushes, etc, stuck between double wood fencing, and just calling for them a LOT with treats!

By: Catfoster

Catfoster — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 12:48:58 +0000

In reply to Kristi LaViolette. cats are highly keen at knowing where they are. they don't forget their home that fast. or ever.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 15:26:37 +0000

In reply to Bill.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m glad that your cat found his way back home. I have to admit that I am skeptical that your cat could have followed a scent from miles away, but there is some evidence of dogs doing this, so who knows. An alternative explanation could be that your cat was using their homing instinct. There isn’t much research in this area either, but there are lots of examples of cats finding their way home from miles away regardless of whether scent items were placed outside. If you want to learn more, check out this article: https://lostpetresearch.com/2016/12/cat-homing-behavior-survey-results/

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 29 May 2023 09:39:06 +0000

Hello-
My outdoor cat got lost and I spotted him about 4 miles away after he was gone for several days. I put out his litter box and hung a towel out that he slept on in his hut so the wind would blow his scent around. 3 days later after doing that he showed back up. Very interesting that he found his way home from 4 miles away in about 3 days…So one of those two methods worked. The towel was hanging off my deck which was about 8′ in the air and the litter box was on the ground.

Thanks…