A missing cat is enough to send any pet parent into panic. How to find my lost cat? If you’re cat ran away or got chased off, the first thing you need to understand about missing cats is that they may behave differently according to personality type. Is your cat an indoor or outdoor cat? Is he the shy or is he a bold and friendly fellow? Understanding cat behavior would give you an idea how far he might have gone and how to find lost cat fast.
Common Cat Personality Types
When cats find themselves in unfamiliar territory, their primary instinct would be to find a safe place to hide. How long your lost cat stays in hiding would depend on his temperament. Here are some tips on how to find a lost cat based on his personality type.
·
Curious
(Clown) cat – If your lost cat has always been friendly
even to strangers, your safe bet would be to do a thorough search within a
five-mile radius from where he was last seen. After a period of hiding, he
would be likely to cover some distance.
·
Careless cat –
A cat who is mostly indifferent to people, a cat with a careless personality
will attempt to find his way back home after hiding for some time. It’s however,
also possible that he will travel quite far.
·
Cautious cat –
Cautious cats are friendly, but shy. He is likely to stay in hiding for the
longest time after being displaced. In time, he will have to break cover and
you’re likely to find him in a place where there is something to eat.
·
Xenophobic
cat –
Xenophobic cats are extremely anxious and fearful. They’re usually averse to
being petted or handled. A xenophobic cat will run and hide in silence out of
fear. When found, they’re likely to hiss at the founder out of fright.
Best Way to Find Lost Cat
If you want to know how to find lost
cat as soon as possible, you need to spread the word to as many people as
possible, be thorough and persistent in searching the neighborhood, and take
every step possible to help your lost cat find his way back home.
1. Spread the word.
·
Call your
neighbors and your family in case any of them have seen your lost cat recently.
If you can, ask neighbors in advance for permission to search their yards,
sheds, and porches when you do a physical search.
·
Find a clear
photo of your cat and create a flyer with your contact details. Put up the
flyers where more people can see them and show them to every people you meet as
you search the neighborhood.
·
Report your lost pet to PawMaw.com and every lost
& found website you can find online. You’d also want to check these
websites regularly to see if anyone has reported having found your pet.
·
Run ads in the
local newspaper and radio station.
· Report your lost pet to all shelters and vet hospitals in your area as well as nearby towns. Make follow up calls daily and provide your contact details. If your pet has been microchipped, it would be easier for them to identify your pet as soon as someone brings him in. Notify animal rescue as well.
2. Know how and where to search.
·
Be absolutely
sure that your cat isn’t inside the house somewhere you rarely visit, such as
the basement or attic.
·
How to find lost
cat outside? First, enlist the help of friends, neighbors, and family members
to help with the search.
·
Narrow down your
search radius and go door to door. Your cat may be hiding in the bushes, under
porches, sheds, garages, and crawlspaces. Check trees to see if your cat has
climbed up and is unable to go down.
·
Cats also like to
hide where it’s warm. Check heating vents, under cars, or behind heating
appliances.
·
It’s also
possible that your cat may be trapped in places such as construction sites,
your neighbor’s garage, or a vehicle that have driven away. Ask neighbors if
they’ve noticed unfamiliar sounds like scratching or hissing lately.
·
You may call out
to your cat, but don’t expect an answer right away. If you’re unable to find
your pet in the first day, try again over the next few days.
·
Searching for the
cat after sundown isn’t a bad idea at all. During dusk and the early hours of
dawn, cats in hiding are more likely to break cover in search of food. Don’t
forget to bring a flashlight when you search at night.
3. Try to lure your cat home.
·
A basic step on how to find an
indoor cat is to bring a container of his favorite treat or foods and try
shaking it. Call out his name as you do so.
·
The familiar
sound of dry kibbles against its container or a can of cat food being opened
may encourage your hiding cat to come to you. Try this method at night when
everything is quieter.
·
Leave one of your
used shirts near the door or window. Your cat may detect your scent if he is
within range and follow it back home.
·
You can leave cat
food out, but put in in a closed container as you don’t want to attract strays
or wild animals. Punch a few holes on the lid just so the scent could fill the
air and hopefully reach your missing pet
·
If you can, set
up CCTVs or a baby monitor near the backdoor in case your cat comes back.
·
Set up a harm-fee
trap. If your cat is in survival mode, capturing him would be a lot harder. You
want to lure him with catnip and be able to capture him without hurting him
using the trap.
Follow This
Infographic More About How to Find Your Missing Cats
You now know everything you should
know about how to find a lost cat. Even if you’re unable to find your cat on
the first day or week, remember that some lost cats have been able to return
home safely even weeks or months after they were reported lost. There’s a very
huge chance that your missing cat is just hiding. He may even have heard your
calls already, but is too afraid to come out. Remember, about 75% of
missing cats are found. The key is to never give up and to keep on trying.