12/12/2025
When a cat escapes, 🥶
When a Cat Escapes -- Resisting Knee Jerk Reactions
Logic tells us that a human is not going to be able to outrun a cat, and most people understand that being chased is frightening for a cat. Yet, when a cat escapes from a carrier, vet clinic or vehicle or gets outside in an unfamiliar area, most people make the irrational decision to give chase. My first experience with a cat-carrier escape was at a local no-kill shelter. One of the employees was carrying a mom cat across the parking lot to a spay/neuter clinic when the carrier broke open and the cat fell out. Initially, the cat froze, but the person carrying her hollered, "CAT OUT!" and then lunged to grab her. The cat dashed and before I could blink there were 5 people chasing the terrified cat. And they were chasing her towards a road! These were all experienced shelter workers and volunteers. They knew better, and yet their knee jerk reaction to chase won out. In fact, they chased her to the edge of the shelter's property before someone finally yelled for them to stop. Since then, I've dealt with many lost cat situations and I've found that this reaction is typical, even among people who have been instructed to not chase.
Why does this happen? Humans aren't good at making fast decisions in emergency situations. That is why we have fire drills, earthquake simulations and CPR classes- and we practice them. With repetition, we can override our knee jerk reactions and make better ones. So, we suggest you actually plan out and practice a cat escape plan. This is particularly important for shelters, rescues and veterinary clinic staff, but holds true for cat owners as well. If you haven't been in this situation yet, you will!
You already know what NOT to do, don't chase! But what DO you do?
1. Freeze! Stop and watch silently. This is the hardest part and the most important one to practice. Typically, cats will dash a short distance and then stop to get their bearings. If there is cover nearby, they will run for it. *Don't move at all until the cat has stopped moving.*
2. When the cat has settled, start making a plan. If the cat escaped from a home or apartment, contain any other pets and leave the door he exited from open. Make sure nobody is standing near his return path. Many cats will return on their own if the path is clear.
3. If the cat was lost away from home, what you do next will depend on the cat's personality.
-Feral cat. Don't try to catch the cat by hand. Get a humane trap and quietly set it in a location near his hiding place. If possible, place it under shrubs or some other cover so the cat won't have to come out of hiding to get to it. But don't get too close to his hiding spot. If you disturb him, he may bolt. If the cat has been trapped recently, you may need to use a drop trap or coyote trap. It might take a while to trap him, but don't give up.
-Shy cat. If the escaped cat doesn't know you or is a cat who doesn't come to you, don't try to approach the cat and advise would-be helpers to stay away until a plan is in place. If the owner or caretaker isn't there, it might be best to just observe and keep track of the cat's location until they can come. If the owner is there or someone has a rapport with the cat, have them slowly approach with food. Avoid eye contact. Have a pillowcase on hand to contain the cat. Be patient and go slow. If the cat is showing signs of stress (pupils dilated, licking lips or retreating motions) watch and wait until later. Sometimes, it is best to wait until dusk when things have quieted down. If the cat runs to other hiding spots, humane traps may be your best option.
-Tame and confidant cat. Wait until the cat has completely settled into place. Have a pillowcase or carrier and treats on hand and slowly approach the hiding spot. Try to lure the cat to you with cat treats and quiet talk. Be prepared to scruff the cat and put him in the pillowcase or carrier. Even confidant cats can be spooky in unfamiliar situations.
What happened to the mom cat? She was at large for a few weeks before she finally went in a trap. It all turned out well in the end, but it may have been over in minutes if they had just stopped and let her settle and relax instead of giving chase.
I had an opportunity to practice this recently when a couple of woman arrived at my door passing out religious tracts and my shy door-dasher slipped outside. Seeing my alarm, one of the ladies immediately made a move to chase after her. My knee jerk reaction was to stop HER so I put my arm out rail-road-crossing style resulting in an accidentally karate chop to her abdomen. Oops. She did stop and I retrieved my escapee, but I think I need a better plan for how to deal with solicitors.
Remember, when a cat escapes, FREEZE!
