Missing Kitty? Here is What to Do!
We have all seen fliers with pictures of cats that have gone missing, and their owners are searching for them. They get out accidentally when someone opens the door, or some cats have even torn through window screens. Most cats are extremely curious and might leave home following their curious nature, ultimately unable to find their way back.
It can be terrifying when your kitty is missing. Here are a few things you can do to help find them.
Spread the word that they are missing
The first step you must take when your cat goes missing is to spread the word around the neighborhood. There are an endless number of dangers lurking outside the door, and it is best to take some quick measures to ensure you find your kitty. Most cats do not like traveling too far away from home because they are territorial creatures at the end of the day. Informing your immediate neighbors about your cat can be a good first step.
You can post on Nextdoor with a pic of your kitty. Lots of neighborhood’s have local FB groups that you can post to. Make and post fliers at vets, local animal shelters and nearby streets with your cat’s picture and other important information like what it looks like, what name it responds to, and so on. Digital versions of the fliers can also be posted on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to spread the word.
Prevention is key:
Getting your kitty microchipped is the best way to ensure that they will make it home. You can also get them a collar with a tag that has their name and your phone number on it. But one thing to think about is that lots of collars break away now so a cat doesn’t hang themselves accidentally. This could result in the collar and tag being lost.
Know where to look
If you notice that your cat is not showing up for dinner, the first place to look is within the house, inside closets or shoe boxes. They often get trapped inside these. Open a can of tuna or shake a bag of treats and see if you can lure them out.
Once you have ensured that your missing kitty is nowhere inside the house, head outside and search in both low and high places, they tend to climb trees or rooftops and even hide inside empty containers lying around in the backyard or elsewhere.
Lure your cat back
You can lure your kitty back home by using a few tricks. One is to place their litterbox outside. They can smell their litter box up to a mile away. You can also leave their food out as well. If you can leave the door open at all times so they can enter once they find their way back home.
Don’t stop searching
Do not give up searching for your kitty. Continue to call shelters and post on nextdoor and other social outlets. Cats have survival instincts that will keep them alive outside till you find them.