How to look after your pet's teeth
90% of cats and 80% of dogs suffer from some form of dental disease.
Read more16 January 2020
However, the majority of cats owned in Australia do like to explore and wonder. As very territorial animals, they’ll have their own ‘patch’ that they’ll put a lot of time and effort into defending.
The only way to know the answer to this for sure is to put a tracker on your cat because no two cats are the same. If you live in a busy residential development or a bustling city, your cat might not travel far at all. They’ll have less territory to share between more cats, so they’ll have less to keep an eye on. If they’re out hunting, they also won’t need to go as far if they’re looking for some prey or a kitty companion.
However, if they live out in the bush or somewhere much more rural, they’ll be more likely to wonder further.
Scientists have concluded that on average, a male cat will go to around 500 meters away from their home whereas a female cat won’t usually go more than 230 meters.
Cats aren’t nocturnal, they’re crepuscular which means they’re most active around dawn and dusk. This means they’ll spend a good proportion of the night sleeping or just relaxing.
Most young and active cats will be prowling their neighbourhood, looking for food (or chasing something that might have the potential to be food) and participating in the odd fight. If another cat encroaches on territory they’ve deemed to be theirs, they’ll instinctively want to fight to prove ownership. The same attitude goes for male cats who have seen a female cat they’re interested in.
Most cats will always return home each morning ready and waiting for their breakfast but not all cats make it back.
It’s not just fighting with other cats that can pose a risk, there are lots of dangers out there your cat will not appreciate:
How can I keep my cat safe at night?
The best way to keep any cat safe at night is to keep them indoors. There are some incredibly clever cat flaps on the market these days including ones that lock after a certain time (only allowing your cat in but not back out) to ones that are coded to only allow your pet entry. In some towns and cities across Australia, cat curfews mean legally your cat must be kept indoors at night.
If you do let your cat out at night make sure they’re spayed/neutered, microchipped and insured. By spaying or neutering them, they’ll be less inclined to start a fight and you won’t need to worry about any unplanned kittens. If they’re microchipped, you’ll be able to find them if they go missing and end up at a vets and insurance means you’re never having to gamble the health and wellbeing of your pet if something does go wrong.
Petcover specialises in offering quality, straightforward pet insurance with a range of policy options that suit your needs. Whether your pet is big or small, furry or scaly our range of cover options are packed with added benefits. Accidents can happen at any time and the reality of veterinary costs can come a quite a shock. With our range of cover levels for dogs, cats, horses and exotic animals, why not get a quote today.
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