Can Pets Find Their Way Home?

No one wants to think about the devastation of a lost pet, but it’s an emergency you should prepare for. The idea that pets can find their way home against all odds has inspired countless viral videos and full-length movies — but can they really do it? Turns out, this concept is backed by science. Read on to learn how pets are able to do this and, more importantly, how to ensure your lost pet comes home.

Sometimes, lost dogs are found thousands of miles away from home, but are reunited with their families thanks to their microchips. Other times, you hear about dogs like Bucky the black Labrador who walked more than 500 miles to find his dad — stories that sound almost unbelievable. But science is starting to explain how.

Dogs use their sense of smell to navigate. And recent studies show that dogs may also be able to detect magnetic fields and use them to return to familiar ground. Cats are thought to have an inherent homing ability, too. If your pet gets lost, is it possible they will find their way back to you? Yes, but don’t count on it. Your best bet is still prevention: microchips, ID tags, and keeping them secure (see more prevention tips below).

The science behind how dogs find their way home

Dogs can find their way home due to a variety of inherent skills, starting with their remarkable sense of smell, which can be up to 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. When your nose is that good, it’s possible to follow scent markers home. Other recent studies indicate dogs can even sense and orient themselves around the Earth’s magnetic field. A dog uses a combination of these super senses — and a fierce loyalty to their family — to find their way home, even in the dark.

Dogs use their sense of smell

Have you ever had to drag your pup away from a field that another dog has walked through recently? A dog’s nose is extremely sensitive, which is why they’ve been trained as hunters and family protectors for centuries. Today, dogs can be trained by police to sniff out drugs or bombs, or by scientists to detect cancer.

According to Medical Detection Dogs’ 2014 research, dogs can even be trained to detect a tiny whiff of disease — one part per trillion, or “the equivalent of one teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools.” Though dogs don’t have the all-time best noses in the animal kingdom, they absolutely use their sniffing skills to find their way to, and from, a location.

Dogs use memory and visual markers

Scientists have done dozens of studies on dogs’ memories, covering everything from short- and long-term memory to episodic and comparative memory. Most dogs have good memories, especially when it comes to imitating human actions. A late 2014 study in the Behavioural Processes journal indicated that dogs and cats may instinctively remember “biologically relevant information,” like where to find food and shelter. Dogs can use these memories, and familiarity with visual markers, to find their way home.

A dog’s spatial memory is also fantastic. You may notice your dog tugging you a certain way on a walk due to recognizing their surroundings. Dogs can remember their neighborhood layouts and markers, which helps them when they’re lost. Dogs also often follow routines. If your dog gets lost near a place they are familiar with, they may start walking toward a place they know or follow a familiar scent home.

Dogs might use the Earth’s magnetic field

Do you know which way north is without any help? Your dog might. A 2020 Czech Republic study of 27 dogs found that one-third of the dogs, instead of using scent tracking, ran along the north-south axis for a while before taking a new route. Scientists concluded that the dogs used these “compass runs” to orient themselves — and they got to the test’s finish line faster than dogs following their noses. The idea behind this study is that a dog uses the magnetic field alongside their other senses when choosing a path.

Dogs aren’t the only animals who may have the ability to sense magnetic fields. It’s the same skill animals like birds and sea turtles use for navigating long distances. Turns out, your dog may have a better internal compass and memory than you do.

Laura Stolfi / Stocksy/

Can cats find their way home?

Yes, cats can find their way home, and many studies have attested to a cat’s innate “homing” ability. A survey by Lost Pet Research and Recovery found that cats could travel anywhere from a quarter mile to 80 miles to return home. Most of the cats in the study who showed “homing” behavior were indoor-outdoor cats who may have had previous outdoor experience. More male cats than female cats in the study exhibited homing behaviors, and both shy and adventurous cats displayed the behavior.

While dogs are known for their noses, cats have superb hearing, night vision, and sense of smell, too. A cat’s sense of smell is 14 times better than a human’s. These senses can help your pet find their way home, particularly if they are younger and closer to home.

Lost cats may temporarily choose to hunker down instead of wandering home, though, so it’s a good idea to leave food out and make lost-pet posters if your cat has gotten out of the house. Don’t rely on them finding their way back home.

If you find a lost cat, take them to your vet to scan for a microchip first — and check our guide here for more things you can do.

What are the chances of my pet coming home?

The chances of your pet finding their way home depends on a variety of factors, including the individual pet, how long they have been lost, and if they are a short distance from home or far away. While there are some stories of dogs and cats traveling hundreds of miles to find their way home, this is not common. Pets lost within a few blocks of home have a higher chance of finding their way back.

An ASPCA study found that 93 percent of lost dogs and 74 percent of lost cats were found. In a different study in 2021, 70 percent of stray dogs were found less than one mile from home, and 42 percent of those dogs were less than 400 feet from their pet parents’ doors. Microchipped pets have a higher chance of being reunited. Only 33 percent of non-microchipped dogs in the study were returned home, compared to 70 percent of microchipped dogs. 

Pets are also more likely to return within a few hours or days of being lost, so don’t wait to start your search.

Samantha Gehrmann / Stocksy/

How to keep your pets safe at home

Some pets are escape artists, and others can be quite excitable. No one wants to discover an open door and their pet missing. There are plenty of things you can do to prevent your dog or cat from getting lost, starting with carefully examining your home and yard.

There are preventative measures to safeguard your pet, as well as proactive steps you can take to find them, should they go missing. Here are a few.

• Check your home and yard: A fence gap or loose door could lead to a pet getting lost.

• Microchip your pet: If your pet does get lost, a harmless microchip can help reunite them with you. Vets, shelters, and rescues will scan for microchips upon finding any lost pet.

• Use a collar and ID tag: Giving your pet an ID tag with your name and number on it can help you reunite with them faster.

• Teach your pet place: Teaching your pet place commands can help them practice calm behavior in lots of different situations.

• Stay calm and act quickly: The sooner you start your search, the better odds of finding your pet.

• Search your area: Most often, pets are lost less than a mile from home. Search the area nearby and call the pet’s name. Sometimes holding a can of food can help.

• Check with your local shelters: Call and visit your local shelters, rescues, and animal control agencies for stray animals.

• Make a lost pet sign: Posting signs in your neighborhood or on neighborhood group websites can help widen your search radius and the chances of someone finding your pet.

References

“About Us.” Medical Detection Dogs, Accessed 3 December 2024. https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/about-us/bio-detection-dogs/  

“Cat Senses: How Felines Perceive the World.” Paws Chicago. Accessed 3 December 2024. https://www.pawschicago.org/news-resources/all-about-cats/kitty-basics/cat-senses. 

Fugazza, Claudia. “Recall of Others’ Actions after Incidental Encoding Reveals Episodic-like Memory in Dogs.” Cell.com. 5 December 2016. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)31142-3 

“How Many Pets are Lost? How Many Find Their Way Home? ASPCA Survey Has Answers.” ASPCA.  28 June 2012. https://www.aspca.org/about-us/press-releases/how-many-pets-are-lost-how-many-find-their-way-home-aspca-survey-has-answers 

“Magnetic alignment enhances homing efficiency of hunting dogs.” ELife Sciences. 16 June 2020. https://elifesciences.org/articles/55080  

“Magnetoreception.” The Lohmann Lab at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Accessed 3 December 2024. https://lohmannlab.web.unc.edu/magnetoreception

“Many Animals, Including Your Dog, May Have Horrible Short Term Memories,” National Geographic. 26 February 2015. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/150225-dogs-memories-animals-chimpanzees-science-mind-psychology  

Murphy, Eliza. “Dog Makes 500 Mile Journey Home.” ABC News, 4 September 2012.  https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/09/dog-makes-500-mile-journey-home 

Reisen, Jan. “The Nose Knows: Is There Anything Like A Dog’s Nose?”American Kennel Club, 2 November 2022. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/the-nose-knows

Robinson, Danielle. “Cat Homing Behavior Survey Results.” Lost Pet Research. December 2026. https://lostpetresearch.com/2016/12/cat-homing-behavior-survey-results