Friday, March 20, 2015

How to Find Your Lost Indoor-Only Cat

It's one of our biggest fears as pet parents - your cat gets out accidentally and gets lost.  This is a situation I had to face when Milita was only two years old.  Milita had scratched open a window screen while I was asleep and slipped out in the middle of the night.  I woke up to find the broken screen and no Milita.  I was terrified; I was moving in a few days, and I was afraid I'd never see my beautiful, loving kitty again.  I was incredibly fortunate that Milita came home about eight hours later and began to cry underneath the open window she had escaped from because she couldn't figure out how to get back in.  I've never kept the windows open unsupervised since that day.

Even though Milita came home on her own, I learned a lot about how to find a lost cat that day.  If your indoor-only cat escapes, there are several things you can do to ensure her safe return.

Follow the Edge of the House/Building and Look for Hiding Places: According to Petfinder, an indoor-only cat who escapes will most likely be panicked once outside, and he is likely to stay close to the edge of your house or building.  Follow the edge of your residence, and look for hiding places.  When you find a potential hiding place, search it thoroughly for your cat.  Remember that cats can fit into some incredibly small, tight spaces so don't rule out any hiding spots that look too small for your kitty.

Search Neighboring Properties: If you can't find your pet on your own property, start searching neighboring properties.  Ask your neighbors for permission to search their yards before doing so.  Show them a photo of your cat or give them a flyer so they can keep an eye out for your companion.  Some people may even want to join you in searching for your cat.  Remember to look in all possible hiding spots, including trees and bushes, under vehicles, under porches, and in open garages.  Carry a flashlight with you to peer into dark spots and a bag of treats to shake while you call your kitty.  Your cat might run toward the sound of a treat bag and your voice.

Call Local Shelters and Veterinarians: Call your local animal shelters, animal control, and veterinarians, and provide them with a detailed description of your cat.  If possible, leave a lost cat flyer with them so they can post it in their office as well.  Visit your local shelters and veterinarians once a day, if possible, to see if they've found any unidentified kitties.  It's important to visit the shelter because your description of your lost companion and their description may be vastly different.  You'll need to look at all the unidentified kitties to see if yours is there.  Be persistent.

Flyers: After searching your immediate neighborhood for your cat, make a lost cat flyer.  Make sure the words, "Lost Cat," are visible for passing vehicles and pedestrians.  Give a detailed description of your cat, including gender, coat color and length, eye color, and weight, and note any unique markings he has.  The Humane Society of the United States suggests leaving one identifying characteristic off the flyer and asking the person who thinks he has found your kitty to describe it.

Petfinder recommends including one closeup photo of your cat's face and one photo of your whole kitty's body.  Be sure to include your number on the flyer as well.  If you don't want to put your personal phone number on the flyer, you can sign up for a free Google Voice account and use that number instead.  Google Voice can forward calls to your cell phone so that you don't miss any calls regarding your lost companion.  Offering a reward for your cat's safe return may motivate more people to look for your furry friend as well.

Microchip: According to research, cats are 20 times more likely to be reunited with their people when they have microchips.  You can have your regular veterinarian implant the chip into your cat at any time.  It's very important to register your companion's microchip with the manufacturer.  Keeping your phone number and address updated are also essential for microchips to be effective in reuniting cats with their owners.  You might also want to consider registering your cat with Fetch ID.

While microchips are incredibly effective at reuniting pets with their people, they do fail at times.  For instance, not every microchip scanner can pick up every manufacturer's microchip.  That's why identification tags and calling your local shelters and veterinarians regularly to check for lost cats is also important.

Pet Identification Tags: Pet identification tags are the fastest and easiest way to identify a lost cat.  Place your kitty's identification tag onto her collar; it's best to use break-away collars on cats.  The tag should include her name and phone number.  I've also included, "Indoor cat," on Carmine and Milita's tags so that if they ever get lost, people will know that they are not supposed to be outdoors.  As with microchips, each time you change your phone number, you should update your cat's tag.  You can find tag engraving machines at some pet stores.  Your veterinarian should also know where you can get an engraved tag for your companion.

Humane Traps: Set up a humane trap near the escape route your cat took.  Place the smelliest cat food in the trap to encourage your kitty to enter it.  Scared cats may hide during the day, but they may come out of hiding at night to find something to eat.  Many rescue or TNR (Trap Neuter Return) organizations are willing to rent humane traps.  Follow their instructions on how to use them properly.

A Few Cautions



Unfortunately, there are some unkind people in the world, so it's important to be cautious when dealing with people who claim to have found your companion.

  • Ask the person who claims to have found your cat to describe all of the cat's unique characteristics.  If the person cannot describe them, they do not have your kitty.  That is why it is important to leave off one or two distinguishing characteristics from your flyer.
  • Never invite someone who claims to have found your companion over to your house.  Likewise, do not go to their home, either.  Instead, arrange to meet in a public place.
  • Offering a reward for your cat's safe return may help motivate people to find you cat.  However, don't send or give money to anyone who claims to have found your cat until they return your kitty to you. 
  • If you search for your cat at night, be sure to take a friend or two with you.
Losing an indoor-only cat is terrifying, but using these tips will help you find your furry friend.  Do you have any other suggestions to add?


Sources:

Petfinder: Must-Do Tips for Finding a Lost Cat

Petfinder: Top 10 Tips for Finding Lost Cats

Humane Research Council: Finding Lost Companion Animals: The Effectiveness of Tags and Microchips

The Humane Society of the United States: What to Do If You Lose Your Pet

ASPCA: Finding a Lost Pet

32 comments:

  1. Wonderful advice!!! When Tara had been with me for only 5 weeks I woke up one morning to find the bathroom screen window broken and her gone...we think it let go and she fell out. I ran around the neighborhood calling her like a lunatic only to get back home and find her hiding in the bushes right where she had landed, waiting for me. It was that moment that I knew she was meant to be with me. Needless to say, my father reinforced the window so nothing can get in OR out!!!

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  2. Oh dear, glad woo made your way home kitteh! Good advice all around,

    Nuk & Family

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  3. So glad she was found!Great advice.It's a huge concern now that it is warming up outside.

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  4. This is very good advise. One of my cats was shut in someone's outbuilding for several days. Fortunately, we found him in time. Check sheds and garages in the area. People may have unknowingly closed a cat in.

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  5. Thank you for sharing all these tips. So terribly important, especially about the humans who are looking out for their own best interests. Hisses to them!

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  6. This is all such great advice!

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  7. Great information, Sierra! Thank you for this important post that we hope we never have to use!

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  8. Great advice....that the mom hopes she never has to use.

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  9. We lost our angle furbling Simba and he was way in the back part of our yard munching on the grass...
    We ourselves unbeknownst to meowmy both escaped when we were young, and spent the night ( a warm summer night, thankfurly) , and were not missed the morning, meowmy found us hiding under a shrub by the front steps:)

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  10. I'm so sorry you had to go through this with your Milita. Thank goodness she came home. Great advice - and here's to hoping that none of your readers will ever need to use it.

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  11. Great post......it is terrifying. When Sam was tiny I was with him in our backyard at the edge of the woods while he explored - in a flash he was off and running through brambles that I could NOT get through.......and out of sight......I called and called and he didn't come - I was so upset. I sat at the edge of the woods and kept calling him - over and over........an hour later he came up from the woods and ran over to me. From then on he was only out on a leash/harness and even then ALWAYS with my husband or me with him. Now he's 15 and finished with "exploring" - he doesn't need the harness except in the dark..........but I'll never forget that feeling of helplessness.

    Hugs, Pam

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  12. Great post! I really need to get everyone microchipped.

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  13. a horrible feeling. I have even framed about it with Admiral and with kATIE. It hasn't happened but I feared it so much.

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  14. Great advice, and great reminder post ! We wrote about it and had to practice when Zorro disappeared for four days last year. Purrs, Angel Loupi and Mum

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  15. Really important information for any cat owner. When Dad lived in Phila Inky ran out one day right as Dad was going to work. He could not stay and search and was sick with worry. Later it seems Inky ran under the neighbors porch and it took tuna to coax him out.He did that a few more times being so sneaky about waiting by the door that Dad was caught off guard. Always under the porch so things worked out until the move to a home with a double door vestibule
    Thanks so much
    Timmy and Dad

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  16. This is one of my biggest fears. Kimi jumped up on a screen to get a bug last year. Thank goodness I was in the room. I flew off the couch, jumped over the coffee table and caught her just as the screen fell outside!! A screen is not match for a cat.

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  17. Our mommy is such a nervous Nelly when it comes to us and windows and doors she'd have a heart attack if we got out! We're glad you found Milita! Thanks for all the tips!

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  18. Great advice and great post! We're glad you found Milita.

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  19. Great advice - will share with my kitty 'lub'n' friends!

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  20. These are very important tips and great information. It's always scary to lose a beloved cat and hopefully this post will help find the lost.

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  21. Great advice for everybody to bookmark.

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  22. The hiding places along sides of a house is a great tip that \i'd never heard of before. Thanks for the info!

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  23. This is a really great collection of advice. I once thought one of my cats had escaped and I was completely distraught. Turns out he was just well hidden in the house -- and came out when he thought the coast was clear.

    --Purrs (and wags) from Life with Dogs and Cats

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  24. Good advice! For some reason I thought this was going to be about losing your cat inside your house. My indoor only cat is black and there have been more than a few anxious searches for her that ended in an already-checked dark space. Thankfully she usually comes to the sound if her food bowl or at least lets out an irritated meow to tell us she's behind a door. She doesn't meow unless she's frustrated so she can stay locked in a room all day and we don't notice until dinner time!

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  25. It is so scary to lose a pet. I'm sure these tips will be very helpful to people.

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  26. Great tips! I like that you added not to invite strangers to your house or to go in their house. That is very wise with all the crazy people out there. I guess if I had to add anything, I would say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While you can't prevent all kitty escapes, you can keep the risk down.

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  27. I hope I never get further than looking around the neighborhood. I like them to be inside where I know they are safe!

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  28. This is a great post! Lost of good info. Thankfully I haven't had to do any of this before, and I hope I never do. But it's good info to have just in case!

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  29. You have some good safety advice for the humans in here too. Good post!

    Thank you for your kind words on the loss of Cameron. It is never easy to lose a furry family member, so your support has been greatly appreciated!

    Jan & Funny Farmers

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  30. This happened to us once too. It's the worst feeling! Glad your kitty came back! Thanks for the tips!

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