Pet Cat Lost in Yellowstone Travels More Than 800 Miles to Find Way Home

Cats have an uncanny ability to find their way back home, even from a great distance. This is often referred to as a “homing instinct.”

There have been many captivating stories about pets getting lost and reuniting with their owners, but a recent news story involving a pet cat lost in Yellowstone National Park proves just how impressive the cat homing instinct can be! 

After getting lost in the woods during a summer 2024 camping trip to Yellowstone Park, a very determined 2-year-old Siamese cat traveled 800 miles back home to California. Rayne Beau was found just three hours north of his family’s home in Salinas, Calif., nearly two months after he went missing.

“Cats certainly are impressive, so while it’s not necessarily surprising that a cat could find their way home within a neighborhood or town, finding their way home from 800 miles away is spectacular!” says Dr. Rhiannon Koehler, a veterinarian in Overland Park, Kansas. Even so, she says there are stories of cats traveling as far as 1,000 miles to get home. (There might be something to that classic song “The Cat Came Back” after all!)

Cat homing instinct

So what motivates cats to find their way back home after wandering away or getting lost? “Cats are very territorial, so it’s possible that the drive to find their ‘territory’ or the people in it motivates them to come home,” Dr. Koehler says. Home to a cat means reliable shelter, food, and affection. 

“We don’t know what makes a cat find its way back home,” Dr. Koehler adds. “One of the prevailing theories is that they have some ability to sense geomagnetic fields, possibly combined with scent cues.”

How to prevent your cat from getting lost

While it’s reassuring to hear that a cat may be able to find their way home if they get lost, it’s important to keep in mind that free-roaming pets face potential dangers. “Even with the theory that cats have an impressive homing instinct, traveling over large distances still exposes them to dangers such as getting hit by a car, predation, the elements, and illness,” Dr. Koehler warns. 

Some steps you can take to help prevent your cat from getting lost include keeping them indoors, getting them microchipped (and keep microchip information current), and having them wear a breakaway collar with your contact information. 

“If you do travel with your cat, consider keeping them in a carrier when traveling so they can’t escape out of open vehicle doors,” Dr. Koehler suggests. You can also try putting a harness and leash on your cat to see if they will tolerate it, as this can be an extra safety measure for taking cats outdoors.  

If you move away to a new place, you can take some proactive measures to help a cat feel more at ease in their new home and inspire them to stay put instead of wandering off. “Bring along familiar items, such as their favorite toys, beds, and scratching objects,” Dr. Koehler says. You can also use pheromone diffusers or talk to your veterinarian about trying anti-anxiety supplements or medications if your cat is struggling with the adjustment.