When your cat goes for a fun-filled stroll through the neighborhood during the night, it can often become a source of discomfort for you. It’s not easy seeing your cat leave without knowing whether or not they will return. This is why it’s important to learn how to get a cat to come home at night in a timely manner.
Each cat owner has a different perspective when it comes to their cat returning after a stroll outside.
When it comes to figuring out how to get a cat to come home at night, it’s best to start by understanding what works best for your cat.
This guide is going to showcase how to get a cat to come home at night, what the best solution is, and how to make sure you teach your cat to come back quickly.
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Best Cat Treats for Your Cat at Night (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
- Contains one (1) 30 oz. tub of TEMPTATIONS Classic Cat Treats Tasty Chicken Flavor
- Your cat can’t wait to get their paws on these scrumptious cat food treats that are crunchy on the outside and soft on the...
- Under 2 calories per chicken flavor cat treat, so you can feel good about rewarding your cat every day
Last update on 2023-09-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Temptations Classic Crunchy and Soft Cat Treats are delicious and will be a wonderful way to get a cat to come home at night. This 30 oz tub is jam-packed with nutrients and flavorful cat treats that will woo even the most stubborn of cats.
Whether it’s the chicken, seafood, tuna, or salmon flavor, this is the perfect option for feeding your cat a late-night treat. Your feline friend is going to fall in love with the treats and come rushing back when it makes a connection between returning and getting a treat.
How To Get A Cat To Come Home At Night
Use Cat Treats
One of the biggest mistakes cat owners make is to not reward a cat’s return.
You have to realize there’s going to be a development curve during the earlier years. As soon as they leave for a stroll at night, you have to prepare to welcome them positively.
This is why cat owners should pay attention to what their cat is doing, especially at a younger age. If you are letting them out, you will have to use something as potent as cat treats.
Why do cat treats do such an amazing job of helping cats return at night?
In general, a cat has to build a positive association with returning. They should believe there is a reward for their behavior (i.e. returning) and that is going to be a great motivator for them. A lot of cat owners don’t do this and that causes the cat to explore further out.
Call Their Name
Are you taking the time to call their name at night?
A cat’s ears are good and they are going to have an easy time hearing your voice. This is why you have to prepare them early on by continually calling their name and building a positive connection between that name and your presence.
By doing this, they will realize “home” is where you are.
You can also use their name as a way to quickly call out when they spend time outdoors. While this doesn’t always work, it is a good option when you are trying to find them late at night.
The goal should be to continue to work with your cat and how it responds to your voice. Over time, the cat is going to get used to the idea of your voice and will seek it out at night. This is why you have to prepare them to listen to you calling their name!
When you don’t take the time to call their name, they are not going to be as willing to return quickly. They won’t have that necessary bond with you to return without being forced too. As a result, you have to be patient and continually work on them throughout the year.
Don’t Chase Your Cat
This is a major issue cat owners deal with.
It’s often assume you are going to have to rush outdoors in the middle of the night and chase after your cat. Unfortunately, this is the worst thing you can do because your cat won’t respond well to the idea of you chasing them.
Rather than becoming easier to catch, they will start running in the opposite direction. This becomes an impossible task for the average person because you are not going to catch them.
This can also put them in harm’s way especially if they are running onto a street.
Your goal should be to remain patient, seek out your cat, and building routines. The long-term play is to call their name, use positive affirmations, and welcome them with rewards (i.e. cat treats). This is the only way to get them to come home at night on their own.
If you are having to forcefully chase them through the street, this is not a good sign.
Even if you are outside looking for your cat, it’s still important to not chase them. Instead, you should use your voice and treats to get them to come closer.
Reward Their Return
As you learn how to get a cat to come home at night, it’s essential to reward their return.
This has been mentioned earlier with cat treats but you can use a plethora of tactics when it comes to rewarding their return. It doesn’t have to be cat treats.
Instead, you can even use something as simple as your voice. If you are willing to soothingly call them and praise them during the night, it will become easier to get them to return promptly. Otherwise, you are going to find it almost impossible to get them to return in a timely fashion.
Rewarding their return is also about building a stronger bond.
Your cat has to appreciate your purpose in their life and that is only going to happen through positive affirmations. Whether this is scratching them, lovingly calling their name, or giving out cat treats at night, the goal is to build a solid relationship with your pet.
This is something many cat owners don’t do and that is what leads to major issues down the road. there will come a time when your cat doesn’t return and causes you to have to search for them late at night.
Create a Cat-Friendly Sleeping Area
Since a cat is often going to head to its bed at night, why not make that part of their life luxurious? Why not entice them with something as simple as a relaxing night’s sleep?
Just like humans, cats are also going to want a warm, cozy bed to sleep in at night.
This can be your way to woo them without having to go out of your way to chase them down. Instead, you can set up a comfortable cat bed that is easy to lie in and is going to make them want to head over as soon as they are tired.
A cat is more willing to return when it knows there is a warm, cozy bed waiting for it at home.
You can even use a variety of blankets and toys to make it appealing. This is going to depend on your cat but it is one of the best ways to get a cat to return home at night.
Just the idea of having a relaxing bed to sleep in is going to do most of the work for you. Continue to improve the cat bed and watch as they rush back late at night.
Final Thoughts
Being a cat owner means you are going to face new challenges every day!
One of these challenges is learning how to get a cat to come home at night. If you don’t use the right approach, it becomes near impossible to see quality results.
Just like taking the time to give your cat its medicine, buying a 1080p cat camera, selecting a safe scratching post for cats, or investing in a purposeful cat carrier, the premise is always to focus on the cat’s safety. When you are trying to figure out how to get a cat to come home at night, start by focusing on what works best for its situation.
The tips mentioned in this guide are a wonderful starting point and using the best cat treats for getting a cat to come home will yield amazing results!