Runaway cat steps to find a lost pet

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06/18/2021 owner reviews 1,

Your cat has disappeared from the house. She either went outside when you opened the door and you didn't have time to catch her, or she opened the screen, or she found a way out and is now outside. If you were lucky enough to watch her run away, you have a general idea of ​​where she is. But if you have no idea where the cat went, how to find your lost cat?

• Take precautions
• What to do if a cat runs outside
• But what if they don't?
• The cat disappeared without a trace
• How to find a lost cat

Take precautions

Before we get to the issue of an outdoor cat, let's just introduce some preventative measures you can take before this happens.

Microchip your cat. Most veterinarians now offer microchipping. This is a safe and inexpensive way to protect your cat. The microchip has a disadvantage. Not all shelters or veterinarians have a portable scanning device that is universal for all chips. Your best bet is to find a chip that is used in your area. Your cat will be identified by the scanner ID code. Cat collars are easy to remove and ID tags can be removed. But the microchips, about the size and shape of a grain of rice, remain embedded under your cat's skin.

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Keep a photo of your cat handy. Don't just make it a cute face shot; Take a full body photo so that if necessary, you can identify the cat from this photo.

Preparing for the search

Unfortunately, domestic cats disappear quite often: they fall out of windows and balconies, run away through doors out of curiosity or under the influence of sexual instincts. Most often, owners have to look for pets that have free access to the outdoors. It is necessary to start catching a missing animal as soon as possible. If you discover that your pet is not at home, you should prepare the necessary tools and devices that will help facilitate search efforts.

In addition to various useful devices and devices, the owner must pull himself together, calm down and be patient. Only endurance and lack of panic will help return the missing animal home.

We recommend reading about how to remove a cat from a tree. You will learn about why cats climb high, and also why they cannot descend on their own. The article describes the steps to independently rescue a steeplejack, and also tells which companies and specialists will help solve the problem.

What to do if a cat runs outside

You're at home and someone opens the front door. Your cat jumps out, turns the corner of the house and disappears! What are you doing?

First, you follow the cat, but don't run or make loud noises. Try to keep your cat visible, but usually when an indoor cat goes outside, the smells and sounds are usually too strong and the first thing they want to do is hide closer to the house. Any loud noises, such as shouting their name or clapping your hands, can frighten them even more. If they stop and look at you, immediately kneel down, don't make eye contact, and extend your hand. Call the cat in the calmest voice. If you don't have any distractions, they will sometimes come straight to you.

Lost cat: where to look?

The primary question, in our opinion, will not be “how” to search, but “where”: maybe the animal is not lost yet?

Start your search in your own home and thoroughly check all the closets, as well as the attic and basement: perhaps you accidentally locked your furry friend and he simply cannot get out.

Knock on all your neighbors and ask permission to inspect their plots, and if possible, their houses. The task is not an easy one, but the fact that a cat could visit a neighboring house and also fall into a trap there is more than real.

Look in dark, dry places - in dense foliage, bushes; perhaps in old pipes, boxes, crates, abandoned buildings.

Also, do not forget to raise your head and inspect the “second tier”: trees, roofs of houses, sheds and garages.

Be sure to return to the old search site - escaped cats tend to hide and not respond for several days, and only then, when they get hungry or calm down, speak up.

The cat disappeared without a trace

You returned home and discovered that your cat was missing. The first thing you will do is conduct a systematic search of your home. Search every room and search thoroughly. Get on your knees and think like a cat. Remember, when they are scared or injured, they can crawl into places you never dreamed they could fit. You need to look under chairs, in armrests, in reclining chairs (very often a cat will rip the bottom of a chair or bed and disappear into the springs). You need to look into your closets and make sure you've covered every inch of your living space before you even think about looking outside.

After a thorough home search, there are a few things you need to do. One of them is to find an old T-shirt that you don't really care about or an old pair of sneakers. Put on your sneakers without socks or throw on a shirt and just start walking around the house calling your cat. Take a box of dry cat food or treats and shake it gently as you walk. You want that shirt and shoes to be really sweaty with your scent in case you don't find your cat, because the shoes and shirt will help you smell the cat in the house. If your search is unsuccessful, when you get home, hang your shirt outside where the wind can spread your scent, and place your shoes outside and near the front door.

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What causes cats to leave home most often?

As for the most common reasons why cats leave their home, there can be a huge number of them, but the most common of them should be listed below:

• the cat said to jump out of the window after noticing an individual of the opposite sex through its smell. This is quite simple to do, especially if it’s summer outside and the window is constantly open;
• birds in windows also very often attract the attention of cats;
• the instinct of nature called the cat and beckoned him with the taste of freedom;
• the pet could have become very frightened of something and hastened to leave the premises.

Thus, to summarize, it should be noted that there can be a huge number of reasons for a cat to leave the house, but it is worth taking them all into account and limiting the pet’s penetration outside as much as possible. It is imperative to monitor the cat’s health and take timely measures so that the pet does not have the desire to go into all serious troubles on his own.

However, if your pet is on the street, then outdoor cats may not be very fond of it, which can also greatly affect its health. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and protect him from unnecessary stressful situations.

How to find a lost cat

Here are some tips to help you find your missing cat and bring him home safely:

1. Take a large cardboard box and turn it over. Cut a cat-sized hole in the side and place it outdoors with soft bedding inside. Press the bottom down and make it a safe place for your cat to return to. Place food and water nearby.
2. The best time to search for a lost cat is when the world is sleeping. The best time is around 2 am. Come out with a flashlight and food. You can take a few cans of cat food with you, stand out outdoors and open the cans or shake up a jar of treats. You'll be surprised how sound can travel in the stillness of the morning, and often your cat will appear within minutes of opening the first can. Enterprising cat owners also recorded the sound of tin cans being opened to reveal a jar of food and played the tape over and over again in search of the missing cat.
3. Create flyers. Include a picture of your cat and offer a reward as an incentive. Post these flyers in grocery stores, veterinary clinics, pet stores, etc. Place them at eye level. DO NOT stuff them into mailboxes. You may get in trouble for this. Walk around your neighborhood with these flyers, hang them on telephone poles, and talk to the neighborhood kids, the newsboy, the taxi driver, the mailman, anyone who walks through your neighborhood.
4. Call local newspapers and place a missing cat ad. Call local radio stations, many of them will play free spots for lost animals. Call your veterinarian and tell the staff that your cat is missing. Pick up flyers from all the vets in your area and take him to any rescue shelters nearby. If you recently moved and took your cat with you, also check your old address.
5. Find a Havahart trap and place it in a safe location near your home. You may catch another cat, a possum, or even a skunk (depending on where you live), but you can also catch your cat.
6. If you see a dead animal on the road near your home, remove it with a shovel and take it to a weed patch. There have been cases when domestic cats became interested in roadkill and went out to investigate, only to become victims themselves.
7. Make a list of everything you do to find your missing cat.
8. Check your newspaper daily for lost and found advertisements.
9. Weekends work outside. Sit in the garden or just outside the house, talk in a soft voice, sing or chat so that if your cat is nearby, she will hear you. If she has a canine friend, take the dog outside or walk around the neighborhood with her to see if the cat will come out and join you.
10. Inspect the trees on your property.
11. Make a map of where you will place your posters and/or flyers. Check every 3 days to make sure they are still there. Keep tape, pins or pushpins, black markers, and a white poster board in your car so you can make up for anything that might go missing.
12. Go door to door with a photo of your cat. Talk to everyone in the house, especially children. Past experience has shown that young children are the best searchers for lost cats.
13. Keep hope alive. There are countless stories of people who have lost their cats for long periods of time, only to have the animal show up at their door one day.

Not all cats will come home, but if you completely cover all your bases, you will reduce the likelihood that your cat will remain lost. As difficult as it may sound, you need to stay focused and not get stressed. The cat will sense the stress coming from you and may hide until you calm down. Most cats immediately go to the ground, which means they hide close to a home they know unless chased away or startled. If you can control your emotions, you stack the odds in your favor.

How to properly organize the search for a pet

Initially, it is worth noting that the sooner you start looking for a pet on the street, the more effective these searches will be. Also, if you start urgently looking for your pet, then there is a possibility that he simply will not have enough time to move very far away from you, therefore, the effectiveness of such search activities will be high. The most basic rule if you have lost a cat is not to panic and not to make hasty conclusions, since the pet will definitely be found and everything will be fine.
Before leaving the house and starting a search on the street, it is worth initially inspecting the living space, since the fugitive can hide behind pieces of furniture and wait for the moment to come out. Thus, you need to carefully inspect the entire apartment, most of all paying attention to sofas, corners and other secluded places. Thus, the most common places where you can look for an escaped cat within an apartment may be as follows:

• cabinets, both inside and on their surfaces;
• mezzanine;
• bathroom, especially under the bathtub itself;
• other furniture;
• corners behind curtains and other secluded places.

Thus, the probability that the kitten could hide in these places is approximately thirty percent of all existing options.

Possible places where an animal can hide

Considering the issue of a domestic cat running away, how to find it requires studying the probable places of the loss. In practice, an animal can approximately hide in the following places:

• entrances from the upper floors, while at the same time you need to try to inspect baby strollers, buckets, shoes, other items located on landings, places near the garbage chute;
• basement, attic. In order to open these premises, you must contact the Housing Office and receive the keys to the doors;
• carrying out searches on the street, since cats love elevated places and can be on a tree, roof of a house, pole, balcony, tall bush;
• in winter, a cat can hide in places such as heating pipes, a car engine, or a heating radiator located in the entrance;
• possible search locations on the street (garage, shed, other utility rooms);
• in many cases, the animal gets lost on the street in hard-to-reach places, so storm drains, sewers, and drainpipes must be checked;
• When searching for a cat, a hungry animal is often found near trash cans and food preparation areas (a dining room kitchen or a cafe located near the house).

Possible places of loss in the house:

• inspection of furniture, closet, niche, space under the bed;
• the upper part of the closet, sideboard, furniture wall, since cats love to hide in these secluded places;
• empty boxes and other containers that can accommodate an animal;
• the window of the washing machine, which is constantly open and ventilated;
• balcony and adjacent structures.

Finding a cat in the country is much more complicated due to the large territory, great access to wild nature (proximity to a forest, river), and possible collisions with wild animals. In this case, the pet may take refuge in a neighbor’s house, so it is important to check this option.

During search activities, you need to call the animal by name, try to rustle it with its favorite food, or wear a toy that is familiar to it, as these factors can make the task easier and find the missing cat on the street.

Useful tips

Clicker
If a cat runs away from home, the following advice from experienced cat breeders will help you find your missing pet:

• The search area should be expanded gradually after the areas adjacent to the apartment or house have been examined.

• The event should be carried out at different times of the day. It often happens that after sitting quietly for some time in a secluded place, the animal comes out of it in the daytime or in the evening.

• Calling your pet by saying its name, rustling with a favorite treat or toy, or using a clicker should be done in the evening or early in the morning, when the yard is relatively quiet. This will make the animal more likely to hear familiar sounds.

• It is more convenient to search and catch a missing pet with a partner. It’s easier for two people to explore the territory, and having found a pet, an assistant will help you successfully catch it.

• Strangers can help you find your cat. The owner should notify neighbors, mothers with children walking on the playground, and pensioners on benches that a search is underway for the animal. In this case, you should give a description or show a photo, and also leave your contact phone number or address.

• Janitors and compassionate people who feed street cats can provide invaluable help. As a rule, they notice the appearance of a new animal in the territory under their control.

The desire to find your pet, perseverance and patience will help return the missing animal home.

We recommend reading about how to calm a cat during heat. You will learn about the signs of the onset of estrus, recommendations from owners, and methods to prevent problems in the future. And here is more information about the main reasons why domestic cats can get lichen.

Video “Video Quest - Looking for a cat”

If you want to virtually participate in the quest, then join our hero. He will definitely help you find your missing pet in your apartment.

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What to do when a cat is found

If a missing cat is found, then at the first meeting he may experience discomfort and be in a stressful state due to a sudden change in circumstances and being in an unknown environment for a long time.

You need to approach the found animal carefully and show it a treat in order to lure it and not scare it away. A hungry animal will gradually approach the food and then you can carefully try to pick it up.

Once the animal has been found, it is necessary to inspect it and identify the possible presence of wounds, injuries, fleas and worms. Such activities are carried out when visiting a veterinary clinic.

At first, it is necessary to limit the amount of food, since a hungry animal can attack the food and then get severe digestive disorders. It is best to eat small meals up to several times a day.

Additionally, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures to prevent the repeated loss of the animal:

• access to the street must be limited for some time or regular monitoring of the animal must be ensured;
• it is necessary to accustom the cat to its nickname, which should be simple and not complicated. This will make it easier to find the animal if it gets lost;
• carrying out castration, sterilization, as the animal’s sexual instincts are dulled and it becomes calmer. However, this method does not eliminate the risk of it disappearing from home;
• installation of metal bars on windows, especially in multi-storey buildings, since their landing is not always successful for general health;
• the use of durable carriers, special harnesses instead of a collar when the owner and the cat move long distances;
• microchipping cats and having a special collar will help you quickly find them, since the chip indicates information about their place of residence;
• You can also try to teach the cat to walk outside so that he returns home on his own. However, it takes an indefinite amount of time to develop such a habit.

Lost cat

The reasons why a cat is lost could be anything. He can slip through an unlocked window or an open door, run away from the house on his own, or get lost from fright in an unfamiliar place. The main role in this situation is played by the time when you discovered the loss. The sooner you realized that your pet is not at home, the better it will be. If the animal is dear to you, you will not regret either the time or money searching for it. Remember that when searching, every detail and minute is important, on which even the life of the animal sometimes depends.

Of course, you need to be alarmed if a kitten goes missing, since in most cases there are many dangers lurking for it on the street. Kids are afraid of cold, dampness, hunger and strangers. A kitten is unlikely to find its way home on its own, unlike an adult animal. Most often, he will look for a secluded place, meow pitifully and seek help from people. According to statistics, without human help, kittens die in 80% of cases, while an adult cat can get food for itself and survive.

According to statistics, if a pet goes missing, people find only 50% of cats, but 70% of dogs. However, 65% of cats that escaped and 7% of dogs return to their owners on their own.

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