Cats are little explorers and love to roam around. Although some cats do not mind being indoors for the entirety of their lives, a majority of cats enjoy being outdoors and exploring new locations.
You would probably find cats sleeping on walls, inside offices, hanging around different houses, and in many other locations.
What does it mean when cats hang around your house?
1. The cat might be a stray
There is a possibility that the cat hangs around your house because it finds the premises of your home attractive.
It might be a stray cat who simply believes that staying close to your house might provide it the required safety and security.
It might also come inside your house to explore the spaces.
You may notice some typical behaviors of these cats that would help you to assert them as strays. These cats appear out of nowhere and usually hang around the trash cans and other possible areas where it can find leftovers.
They are quite scared of humans and tend to run away as soon as someone approaches them.
If a stray cat always hangs around your house, it might be possible that it has found a place where they can get ample food.
It might have also found a warm and cozy spot in some corner of the house to give birth to its kittens.
These cats do not possess any severe danger to the people in the house.
However, if there are children in the house, it is vital to keep them away from the cat as it might scratch them in self-defense.
You should maintain a safe distance from the cat until a mutual relationship of trust is built.
2. The cat might be lost
If a cat comes into your home with a restless and scared look, there is a probability that it might be lost. If you doubt that the cat might be somebody’s lost pet, there are sure evident signs you need to look at.
You should look for a collar attached to the cat’s neck, which asserts that it has an owner. The tag attached to the collar might also contain the name and the address of the owner.
These cats are not usually scared of human beings. It will not hesitate to get close to you when you provide it some food.
It could merely be a neighborhood cat or might have come from a long distance. It is essential to give it some food to eat as it might be starving.
You should ensure to alert the neighborhood about a lost cat, which would help you to locate the owner.
3. It might be looking for food
If you have a pet in the house, there is a possibility that crumbs of food might be spread out throughout the house.
A stray cat might have sensed the presence of free food within the boundaries of your house and sneak in to steal the food.
The kitchen or other areas for food storage in the house could also be readily available to the cat. Hence, it might enter your home to simply look for an opportunity to steal your food and fill its stomach.
If you have children, it is vital t to enquire whether they have been feeding the cat that comes into your house without the permission of the adults.
The stray cat might hang around your house out of sheer affection received from the members of the house and the chance to get food quickly.
4. It might be a curious neighborhood cat
If a cat appears in your house out of nowhere and disappears the same way without much interest in the food in your home, there is a chance that it might belong to someone from the neighborhood.
Cats are curious creatures and might roam around the houses in the neighboring areas.
If you keep the doors and the windows of your house open, the cat might be encouraged to explore the indoor areas of your home.
If the cat is not hesitant to go near you and insists you to pet him, there is a chance that it might have sneaked out of somebody’s house in the neighborhood with the owner’s notice.
These cats would not stay inside your house for as long as they intend to go back to their owner as soon as possible.
5. It might be searching for a mate
If you are a cat owner and you notice several other cats appearing in your house during the heating season, there is a possibility that these cats might be looking for a suitable partner to mate.
The cats might be aware of the presence of a cat of the opposite sex in your house and might be willing to mate with it.
If you are planning to have kittens, then such a phenomenon would not trouble you very much.
But, if you do not plan to multiply the cat family in the house, you should ensure to get your pet cat spayed or neutered as soon as possible.
What to do when cats hang around your house?
If a cat decides to roam around your house, it is entirely up to you whether you allow it or not. If you are fond of cats, then you should let the cat hang around your house for some time to help its curiosity.
There is also a chance that the cat might be parched or starving, as it might be a stray or a lost pet. Therefore, it is recommended that you provide it with some food and water, which would help the cat survive.
If you already have pets in the house, you could also give it some wet cat foods to partially meet its nutrition requirements.
A cat does not roam around places it considers dangerous. Hence, there is a possibility that the cat has already befriended you as it chose your house as its hanging spot.
You could also do the same by offering it some food and by gradually gaining its trust. A bond of friendship with a stray cat is indeed wonderful.
However, if the cat always tries to enter the indoor spaces of your house, you need to follow specific protocols.
Firstly, you need to ensure whether the cat is a stray or a pet by looking for a collar on its neck. Stray cats are usually scared of humans, and they do not try to enter the indoor spaces as it might have a lot of people inside.
Hence, there is a possibility that the cat might be a lost pet. If it does not hesitate to come near humans, you need to take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible to check for a microchip inside the cat, which would help you find the owner.
If you are dealing with a feral cat that roams around your house, you should warn the other members of the family about it.
You should advise them to stay at a safe distance from the cat as it might attack in self-defense.
These cats should not be allowed to climb up on sofas and beds as they might be infested with fleas or pests and could bring diseases into the home.
Conclusion:
There is no primary concern if a cat chooses your house as its hanging spot. Instead, you should enjoy the experience of a cute creature is a part of your everyday life.
If you do not pay the necessary attention to the cat, it would surely be bored with your house within a few days or months and start to look for new places to explore.
Recommended:
Resources:
https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/caring-community-cats-overview.pdf
https://www.alleycat.org/resources/how-to-live-with-cats-in-your-neighborhood/
https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/WhattoDo2011.pdf
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.
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