Losing sight of a cat can be a rather unpleasant experience. It can be difficult to find or understand where to start searching. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent you from losing your cat and to make it easier for you to find him when he walks around.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Search the Home
Step 1. Stay calm
Failing to track down a cat can be nerve-wracking. By staying calm, you can think clearly and do more effective research. Stay calm and look for your cat with as much serenity as possible to increase the chances of finding him.
- Grab a flashlight to aid in the search.
- Think about the last place you saw the cat and start looking from there.
- Stay focused. Search wherever you feel it is necessary.
- Search systematically. Check all possible hiding places in one room before moving on to the next.
Step 2. Search the house first
As soon as you realize you haven't seen your cat for a while, start looking around and inside the house. By searching the house first, you may find the cat faster and avoid looking outside as well.
- Check everywhere, even in small and tight places.
- Search under and behind furniture.
- If there are areas where you can't reach or see, try using a hair dryer to diffuse warm (not hot) air into the area. If the cat is there it might come out.
- Ask family members if they have seen the cat.
- Try waving a bag of treats to entice the cat to come out of hiding.
- Call him by name. Sometimes, hearing your voice, the cat comes out.
- Listen to your cat's meow as you search for it to locate its whereabouts.
Step 3. Search in dark places
Cats are nocturnal animals, so they are more likely to be active at night. Try turning off all the lights in the house and staying silent, making sure you hear any noise or movement. If you can't find your cat during the day, you might want to try looking for him again when it's dark.
Step 4. Use strong smelling foods as bait to get the cat out of hiding
You can try waving a bag of kibble, but the cat doesn't necessarily hear or might resist the temptation. Try something with a strong smell, such as pungent-smelling cheese or fish with a particularly strong smell. Heat it in the microwave or oven so that the smell gets stronger and spreads throughout the house, spreading it with your hand as you search. Your cat will find it irresistible.
Step 5. Give it some time
If you have searched and looked everywhere, then you will have to wait a bit. Your four-legged friend may have found a hiding place that you haven't thought of and may be just taking a nap there.
- If you can't find the cat in the house after a thorough search, try waiting for an hour before extending your searches.
- If your cat has fled because it is afraid of something, looking for it will only induce it to stay hidden.
Part 2 of 3: Extending Your Searches
Step 1. Look outside the house
Even if your feline is a house cat, you should start looking outside your home if you can't find it inside. Start searching from the surrounding outdoor area before extending your searches into the neighborhood.
- Check under bushes and plants growing around your home.
- Try looking under the car or in the hood.
- If there are trees near your house, check if the cat has climbed on them.
- Always call the cat out loud while looking for it.
- Try bringing your kitty's favorite treats with you, shaking the bag as you search for it.
- House cats do not usually travel very far from the house; generally they roam within a radius of about 150 meters.
Step 2. Extend your neighborhood search
If you can't find the cat either indoors or outdoors, you need to expand the search area. It's a good idea to start in your neighborhood and ask the neighbors if they've seen your cat.
- Start your research on foot. By doing this, you will be able to sift through nearby areas more carefully.
- Ask the neighbors if they saw your cat or inquire if they saw it.
- As you expand your searches, also consider scouring the neighborhood slowly by car.
- Keep calling your cat aloud as he may approach you when he hears you.
- Do not enter private property. If you want to search for the cat on a neighbor's property, ask for permission first.
Step 3. Create a flyer for your cat
If you can't find the cat near your home, you may want to create a "lost cat" flyer for your pet. You can post it in the appropriate approved public spaces to alert and inform citizens. Follow some of these tips to create a clear and complete flyer:
- Always keep the same style or format to avoid confusion;
- Make the subject of the flyer clear: try writing "LOST CAT" in bold at the top;
- If you can, add a photo of the cat, making sure it is a good representation of your feline;
- It is essential that you add details about your cat: name, age, breed, weight, color, gender and any other identifying marks;
- Add two telephone numbers where you can be contacted directly.
Part 3 of 3: Optimizing Your Search
Step 1. Call the local catteries
If you can't find your cat and no one has responded to your ad, contact the local catteries. Sometimes people find cats and, not knowing who they belong to, take them to the cattery.
- Contact the municipal and private catteries.
- Go in person with details and a photo of your pet to help the staff identify your cat if they brought him there.
- Contact the cattery every two or three days.
Step 2. Try using social media
In addition to searching your neighborhood, you can use social media as a valuable aid in your search. Posting information about your lost cat on various platforms is useful for informing and engaging large numbers of friends and relatives in searches all at once.
- Provide a sharp photo of your cat. Make sure the photo identifies your pet.
- Add details about your cat including gender, age, weight, color, name and any other distinguishing features.
- Tell people when and where you last saw the cat.
Step 3. Officially identify your cat
Providing your pet with a real identity will make it easier for him to return home if he gets lost. The two main ways to associate an identity with a cat are tags and microchips.
- The tags hang on the cat's collar. They are usually made of metal and have contact information engraved on them.
- Microchips must be implanted by the vet. The chip contains your contact information in digital format and serves as a copy in case the collar and tags should come off.
- Always keep information on tags or microchips up to date. That way, whoever finds your cat will know exactly who to bring it back to.
Advice
- Cats are usually attracted to the smell of their owners or their own. If you think your cat is out of the house, try placing items such as clothes or toys outside the house that you and / or your cat have interacted with often or recently.
- Correctly attribute an identity to your puppy with tags or microchips because by doing so they will be able to return it to you faster.
- After you find your cat, consider putting a collar with bells on it so you can find it more easily in the future. You can also try to train the cat to come to you when you call him by name.
- You will find a cat that is used to being outside by looking around for its favorite tree.
- Usually, house cats can roam within an area of about two hectares.
- Wild cats venture into larger areas that can extend over 400 hectares.
