The ‘Japanese Missing Cat Method’ and Why It May Actually Work

When a cat goes missing, most of us imagine the worst: that they’re lost, injured, or trapped somewhere, unable to return home. But in truth, the situation is often far less dramatic. Sometimes, “missing” cats are simply out exploring, hunting, or taking an extended nap in a nearby hiding spot — and they’ll come home when they feel like it.

Cats are famously independent, self-sufficient, and clever. With their extraordinary sense of smell, they are not necessarily truly lost; many can navigate back home from miles away. Combine that with survival instincts sharpened over millions of years, and it becomes clear: When a cat doesn’t come home, it’s usually not because they can’t. It may be because they don’t want to — at least, not yet.

Still, knowing that doesn’t stop cat parents from spiraling.

When I was 10, my mom’s cat, Sophie, disappeared for weeks, and I watched my mother unravel. Sophie was an outdoor cat who often vanished for days or even weeks at a time, so I wasn’t too worried. But my mom? She was inconsolable. Morning and night, she combed the neighborhood, calling Sophie’s name (the one thing you’re not supposed to do) in the hope that her voice would lure Sophie home — or at least prompt a meow in return. It was a sort of real-life game of Marco Polo.

Eventually, Sophie did return, months later, as mysteriously as she had left. My mother always suspected that a neighbor had been feeding or even keeping her. But who knows? Maybe if she’d known about the so-called “Japanese Missing Cat Method,” she might have saved herself weeks of worry.

What is the Japanese Missing Cat Method?

In 2019, Japan Today published an article describing how one cat parent (Twitter user @charlie0816) found their missing cat after enlisting the help of local strays. The process — which has since become known online as the “Japanese Missing Cat Method” — is surprisingly simple and more than a little whimsical.

Step 1: Find a local stray cat and ask for help.
Step 2: Describe your missing cat in detail — name, appearance, personality — and express how much you love and miss them.
Step 3: Offer the stray a treat as “payment” for their assistance.
Step 4: Wait. The stray will supposedly pass along your message through the feline grapevine, and your cat will return.

According to @charlie0816, the advice originally came from another (unnamed) Twitter user, and it’s unclear whether this method is truly Japanese in origin. Still, the story went viral, spreading across Reddit, Facebook, and TikTok, often embellished with claims that it stems from an old Japanese legend — though no one can seem to name which one.

Does it actually work?

Origin story aside, many pet parents online swear the method works. “It worked for me!” wrote Reddit user @madamebpand. “A little cat calmly walked down the street with my cat to the front gate, looked at me intently, and walked away. I picked up my cat and went inside, shocked.”

Another Redditor, @NaturalIcy1274, wrote: “I did this with Bruce (my frail cat) when his nephew disappeared. He came home a day later.”

Others claim the method worked in as little as 10 minutes. TikToker Mel Moon says her cat reappeared almost immediately after she tried it. Some say it took days, weeks, or even months.

“I talked to every tomcat I saw on the street when my cat ran away,” said Redditor @vampira_mavis. “She was gone for four months and came back one day as if nothing had happened.”

Of course, no method works every time. “I did it, and it worked — more than once,” wrote Redditor @Meerkash. “But there was once that it didn’t.”

So, how effective is this method really?

To find out, I asked professional pet tracker Kelly Brach, who couldn’t help but laugh. “This whole thing has me giggling,” she says. “How many stray cats are actually going to let a stranger walk up and whisper in their ear? If this really worked, how many people even know friendly outdoor cats they can get that close to? I’d love to see someone try.”

Fair point. Personally, I’ve never successfully approached a stray cat in my life. Maybe cats in other regions are friendlier than New York’s notoriously aloof street cats, but around here, even bodega cats keep their distance.

And as charming as the idea is, the notion that cats understand our words — and then pass messages along like some feline telegraph network — is pure anthropomorphism. Cats can certainly recognize their names and a few key words (“dinner,” “vet,” “no”) through repetition and tone. But believing a stray cat can absorb your heartfelt speech and deliver it to your missing pet is, well, magical thinking.

Even if your cat somehow could understand the message, would they rush home out of empathy? Probably not. In this context, cats are likely acting out of their own self-interest, not yours. That’s not an insult; it’s just feline nature.

Why does it seem to work?

Despite its mystical framing, the Japanese Missing Cat Method actually encourages behaviors that do increase the chances of your cat returning — just not for the reasons people think. When you walk through your neighborhood searching, you naturally leave traces of your scent everywhere. Cats rely heavily on scent to navigate, and your familiar smell can help guide them back. Simply being outside also allows your cat to catch your voice or scent if they’re nearby.

More importantly, the method forces you to calm down. Stress changes your body’s pheromones, and those altered scents can deter cats — even your own. A panicked, shouting pet parent might unintentionally drive their cat further away. By taking a slow, measured walk, speaking gently to strays, and staying composed, you’re creating the conditions under which your cat is most likely to return.

The method also emphasizes using a soothing tone, which cats are far more responsive to than yelling. Cats have exceptional hearing and don’t need you to shout in order to locate you. A calm, friendly voice may help them feel safe enough to come closer.

And if your cat seems to reappear only after the local strays disperse, that’s no coincidence either. Cats tend to avoid unfamiliar animals who may be dangerous to them. Once the strays have moved along, your own cat might finally feel secure enough to sneak back home.

So no, the Japanese Missing Cat Method isn’t a supernatural trick that summons your cat through a secret feline network. But it is an oddly poetic way of doing all the right things: remaining calm, spreading your scent, and keeping your voice inviting. It transforms frantic searching into mindful waiting, which might just make all the difference.

If following this method helps you stay hopeful and grounded while your cat finds their way back to you, then by all means, try it. It certainly can’t hurt — and who knows? Maybe the neighborhood strays are listening after all. (And it should go without saying, but microchip your cat, and it might save you a whole lot of worry.)