How far cats roam depends on several factors

Research shows that area, through which cats travel, varies greatly depending on the environment (climate), availability of food and shelter, and mating partners if they are not sterilised. For example, the distance a cat would wander will not be the same in a suburban area than an area with open veld. Overseas information on missing cats would not exactly match up to missing cat experiences of cats in South Africa. 

Male cats are reported wandering anywhere from 2.1 acres up to 1038 acres in the wild environment.

On average, the size of a territory covered by a cat is:

42 acres for female cats;

153 acres for male cats.

If we assume those areas circular with a cat’s home in the center, this means male cats on average wander 500 metres away, while female cats are less curious – they walk approximately 230 metres away from home.

However, in real life, those territories are never circular, and distances how far cats roam will still vary highly. It depends on the area, spay/neuter status of the cat, food and shelter available, the cat’s personality and other factors.

How much do cats walk during the day?

From another point of view, we also have studies that show cats typically travel from 70 to 850 metres per day on their own feet. We can assume that most outdoor cats would cover distances somewhat in between, and not much longer than 850 metres.

Of course, we also have some extreme cases, where cats travel miles and miles from their new home, back to their old ones, or, in rare cases, in a different direction.

At the same time, stories about cats traveling several hundred kilometers for a reunion with their owners pop up in the news now and then. But we should not use these stories to form our view about how far cats typically roam. These should be considered as extraordinary circumstances.