Tips to prevent cats from being strayed.

Why do cats stray away?

Many cats that stray do so because they have not been neutered or spayed, which means they will be keen to get out of the house in search of other cats to mate with. To prevent this from occurring, make sure that you neuter or spay your cat before it has reached sexual maturity, which is normally around six months of age. This will lessen your cat's chances of straying in search of other cats, although it is still likely to enjoy the outdoors.

Cats need proper care from their owners.

Cats stray from their homes because they are not properly cared for by their owners. If you are in the habit of working long hours and you do not spend an adequate amount of time with your cat while you are home, your cat is likely to stray in search of more loving, attentive company. Although many cats love the attention that they receive from their own owners, if they are neglected and do not receive the proper care and attention that they need, they will stray and will revert to a semi-feral state in a bid to survive on their own.

Cats hate to be confined indoors!

Cat owners have mixed feelings about confining their outdoor cats to the house. Some feel that an outdoor cat should have the freedom to roam, rather than be confined indoors, while others believe that it is safer to keep cats indoors at all times. If your cat is in the habit of straying and it has already been neutered or spayed and you provide the proper care for it, consider confining the cat to the indoors for short intervals. Some cats can be broken of their straying habit by establishing a new routine. Start by regularly calling your cat at feeding times and at other periods so that it gets used to coming indoors throughout the day, rather than straying during the daytime. At first, many cats will whine in a determined effort to get out, but they will soon get used to spending some time indoors.

Breaking cats of their straying habit can take time, but it is worth the effort if you are persistent and take steps to eliminate the reasons why your cat strays.