How to Find a Lost Indoor Cat?

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Can’t seem to find your precious indoor cat anywhere? There are steps you can take to find a lost indoor cat and bring him back to you safely. Having an indoor cat suddenly gone missing, even if he seems happy to be spending his days within the comforts of home, is more common than you think. Your cat is still a cat after all--not exempt from the curiosity and wild, predatory spirit innate to the species. The good news is, there’ve been pet owners like you who can help with how to find a lost indoor cat in no time. 




 1. Stay calm and know what to expect. 

It’s easy to give in to panic when you’re worrying about where your indoor cat might have gone. But it’s important that you keep your cool and believe that your cat is safely hidden away in some secret corner not far from home, waiting for you to rescue him.

If you’re asking yourself, how can I find my lost indoor cat, bear in mind the possibility that he may not recognize your face right away when he sees you. He may not respond to your voice or upon hearing his name. What a lost indoor cat would most likely respond to are familiar scents and sounds. Remember this as you commence your search.

 

2. Print flyers and report your lost pet.

You’d want as many people as possible, knowing about your missing pet and looking out for sightings. Report your lost pet to PawMaw.com so members of your local community could be made aware of your search. 

Simply upload a photo of your cat, a description, and your contact details. Upon reporting to the website, you can instantly generate and print out a missing pet flyer which you can distribute to people you meet and put up in high-traffic locations around the community.   




3. Set out items with familiar scents.

Lure your cat back with the scents of home. This is how you find an indoor cat.


Ø  Scoop up some of the used litter from your cat’s box and sprinkle all over your garden. This familiar scent can travel a long way with the wind and just might do the trick in leading your lost cat back home. 

Ø  You might also try hanging up your cat’s blanket or an item of clothing that you’ve worn someplace outdoors where the air can pick up and spread out the scent.




4. Leave food and water.

Take your cat’s favorite food, preferably something with a strong smell, and leave it in all possible entry and exit points around your home. It’s a safe bet that a lost cat is also a hungry cat, and the scent of his favorite meal might just be what your cat needs to find his way back. You can try shaking up or stirring cat food outside while calling out your cat’s name, at different times of the day.

 

5. Search methodically.

Get an actual map and determine a search radius by which to do your search. If you have assembled a search party of family and friends, search in pairs towards different directions to cover more ground. Cats don’t typically venture out as far as dogs so it would be a good idea to keep your search area smaller and more focused.

 

Ø  Check your house thoroughly. You’ve got to rule out that the lost cat you’re so worried about is actually just trapped in some corner you haven’t checked. Look at gaps behind and under furniture. Check every hole large enough for your cat to fit.

Ø  Check garden sheds and garages around the neighborhood. If you can, knock on doors and ask to look around yourself. The bushes, outhouses, and greenhouses are all possible cat hiding places.


Ø  Check on trees and roofs. Cats are very good climbers and if you have an indoor cat, there’s a chance that he was chased up a tree by a bigger dog and is unable to go down on his own. 


Ø  If you don’t succeed the first day, keep on doing routine searches in the following days after your cat gets missing.


     

    6. Search when it’s dark. 

    One of the most effective ways on how to find a lost indoor cat outside is to time your searches according to feline habits. It’s definitely a good idea to continue searching after dark. Surroundings are a little quieter, when a lost cat is most likely to venture out from wherever it’s hiding to look for food or a new hiding place. Bring some food with you and shake it up as you walk and search around. You can also continue searching in the wee hours of the morning just before dawn.




    7. Set up traps. 

    Your lost cat may be coming and going to where you’ve left food for him when you weren’t around. To safely capture your possibly fearful cat, set up a harm-free trap which you can borrow from local shelters or animal control. Check the traps at different times of the day to see if you’ve got your missing car or release any other animals that may have wandered in.


    8. Call your local shelters.

    As you continue searching for your cat and putting up flyers, call animal clinics and shelters to report your lost pet as well. If you have the time, it would be a good idea to drop by to provide them with a description of your lost cat and ask to be contacted if he turns up in any of these places. Shelters and vets tend to get busy so you can ask for their permission to put up your poster. Also, it won’t do harm to call every now and then to follow up. 


    Here is how to find lost indoor cat in an infographic 



    These are the most crucial steps to help you find lost indoor cat. It’s possible to get results quickly, but if you don’t, stay calm and never give up! There’d been cases of missing cats returning safely back to their owners after weeks, months, or even years being away from home and you can draw inspiration from these stories. Hopefully, your cat is never gone for as long. The important thing is to act quickly, search thoroughly and repeatedly, and to follow all and every lead.

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