Feline Compass!?

[eddieandmurphy]

I use to live in a shared accomodation with a good friend and her lovely big Maine Coon 'Billy'. We had him since he was a kitten, and it was her decision (which later influenced my mistake) to let him outdoors. We live in downtown Toronto however there are many side streets and more suburban areas. We lived on a side street with plenty of houses, lawns, backyards and alleys and few main roads. For three years we lived there with Billy and he would spend most of his time outdoors and proved to be a real impressive hunter, climber and seemed to thrive outdoors. His behaviour changed very much however and he went from being a total suck to hardly affectionate - his main concerns were food and being outside to hunt for more food! Either way his was a HUGE cat, very muscular and striking (as most maine coons are) and after her and I went our seperate ways and moved house she took Billy with her to a new apartment (from a house) which had no real backyard or great outdoor spots for Billy. Needless to say he hated it! and was incredibly grumpy so -he made his way back to his old house! This is so impressive because he was brought to his new home in a carrying case and was able to find his way down three CITY blocks to his old home. He had to walk down main streets and roads, cross very busy streets, and walk at least 30 min(for a human) back to his old house.

She found this out because the new tenant at her old place is a friend who called her and said 'Billy is crying to get in the house!'. She brought him home and a few days later he was back to his old house, and so on. He was just not willing to adjust to his new surroundings so the new tenant at Billys favorite home have kindly taken him in.

I was blown away to hear that he was able to make his way back home, and I've heard stories before similar to this.

I have never heard the same stories about dogs though?

What do you believe is behind this uncanny ability?

[Marty]

Oh, I have heard stories of dogs finding their way home also...many, many miles.

You may be interested in this. A while back we had a problem with squirrels in the attic. The wild life management company trapped it and told us they would have to rehome the squirrel 25 miles away so it wouldn't find it's way back. I think you have to do the same thing with turtles.

Wouldn't it be nice if all lost pets could find their way home?

[Tambrey]

I have heard this before, but for Billy's own safety, he should be kept INDOOR ONLY from now on

[JUDY S]

I had a much loved lab who took off one day down at the river, a good fifteen miles from home. I searched frantically for three days before I foung her about a mile from home, with a lake between her and home. I guess she was stuck, but I believe eventually she would have made it all the way. She was so happy to see me, but not at all hungry like I expected her to be, makes me wonder what she had been up to.