*If you've lost or found a cat, please let us know and we can post pics and info as well as help you w/your search to either find your own or reunite the one you've found with it's owners.
"Lost Cat 101" in a Nutshell:
• Do not give up--we have first hand knowledge of reunions between cats and owners after 6+ months.
• Post signs, make shelter and rescue group reports; follow every lead.
• Lost cats do not go far, but have powerful self-protecting instincts--they can be close at hand and unable to come to you. He may not move from the first safe spot he finds for several days, even with you standing right by the hiding place
• Anchor/orient him: starting at the point of loss, nightly walk the neighborhood (also lays a familiar scent trail), calling familiar words and phrases; scatter his used litter around the yard to leave scent cues; put out food
• Don't scare him off if you see him--he may not be able to let himself come to you.
• You may have to set a humane trap, can be rented from local sheters or borrowed from rescue groups.
DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!
Among cat lovers, there are few experiences more horrible than losing your cat and few things sweeter than the moment you have your lost kitty back in your arms. Our volunteer counselors regularly handle calls from frantic pet owners whose precious kitties have disappeared. From their stories and our own observations, we have learned a lot about how lost cats behave and have developed an approach we refer to as "Lost Cat 101." While we hope you will never have to use it, here is a synopsis of the "course."
The first and most important things to remember are "Do not despair!" and "Do not give up!" Much easier said than done, but if you get out there right away and keep looking, your chances of finding your lost cat are quite good. It might take days, weeks or even longer, but we think that many people lose their cat simply by giving up their search before the cat is ready to be found. It can also take people quite some time to realize that there's a new kitty hiding in their bushes and even longer to decide to do something about it by calling a rescue group or a shelter to make a "found cat" report. So, especially in the early days and weeks, there is no substitute for getting out there and pounding the pavement yourself.
We recommend a two pronged approach--publicity and self-help.
Your publicity campaign should start immediately. Prepare a "LOST CAT" poster, with a photo if possible: include a brief description of the cat, where and when it was last seen (e.g., 200 block of Main Street, Falls Church) and a contact number. Injecting a "human" touch (e.g., "Kitty" is missed by his desperate mom, heartbroken family or sleepless toddler) is also important and will help motivate people to help you--it's okay to be manipulative! Offering a reward may be similarly helpful, but, based on our experience, is not mandatory--save room on your poster for more important information. Such as whether your cat was wearing a collar and name tag. (Tip: make every effort to keep a collar and id tag on your cat at all times; this will help others help you find him should the unthinkable happen--even if your cat is an exclusively indoor kitty, workmen can leave windows ajar, cat carriers can break open in veterinarians' parking lots, Sneaky Petes lie in wait for their chance to slither around their moms' ankles while they're signing for the pizza.) Start posting on your own street and then expand to the next block, fanning out from where the cat was lost or last seen. (Tip: use inexpensive transparent page covers (available at office supply stores), open end down, of course, to waterproof your posters. And be sure to take all your posters down when you find your kitty!) Talk to people about your cat and ask them to call you if they see any strange kitties around. A good way to strike up this conversation, especially in winter when people aren't outdoors as much, is to go door to door hand delivering copies of your poster or an even more detailed flyer. People are often unbelievably kind and eager to help! Send a copy of your poster or flyer to local vet hospitals and to all the area municipal shelters, not just the nearest one. (Tip: ask how long the shelter will keep reports on file, and renew your report as needed; whenever possible, include a photo with your shelter report). Follow up on every lead you get and focus your search in those areas. You might find a paid consultation with a well-recommended animal communicator or pet psychic to be useful, especially in focusing your search and you may want to register with one or more of the internet services that provide free lost and found listings for pet owners (e.g., Hugs for Homeless Animals(www.h4ha.org) and The Internet Lost and Found (www.lostandfound.com)).
As noted above, just as it can take people time to realize they have a strange kitty in their neighborhood and make a "found cat" report to a shelter or rescue group, it also takes a lost cat time to let himself be noticed. Despite the "Fantastic Journey"-type stories we all have heard, in our experience, lost cats generally do not stray far from the first safe spot they find after they escape or realize they're lost. While some indoor-only kitties may initially relish their freedom and while it may take longer for an indooroutdoor cat to recognize that he's gone beyond his accustomed territory, many indoor kitties get the point immediately that they're on uncharted ground. And at whatever point a cat realizes he is lost, he will often find a safe spot to hide in and "go to ground." It is as though cats have a self-protecting instinct that tells them to keep silent and still. Unlike dogs, cats will not readily seek help from strange humans. Even the sound of their own special person's voice calling and calling often cannot pry them from their safe spots. Thus, your lost kitty could be right under the bush at your feet and be unable to bring himself to come running to you for help.
It is therefore essential that, in addition to putting up your lost cat signs and making shelter reports, you get out there, walking the neighborhood in the vicinity of where the cat was last seen. You'll want to bring some cat-catching equipment with you--use your cat carrier as a tool kit and stock it with a strong flashlight and spare batteries, a pillowcase or towel, thick gloves, a small pop top can of cat food or "human" tuna, a spoon, a few paper towels or wet wipes and a resealable plastic bag. If you saw your cat escape, initially follow his trajectory before branching out in other directions. In addition to calling the cat's name, use other words and names that may be familiar to the cat. (Tip: try to keep your voice calm and upbeat when you call the kitty: who would want to come to an hysterical, sobbing parent?) Talk to him and try to visualize him engaged in familiar activities--tell him his dinner is waiting in his bowl, his special blanket is ready for him to lie on. Don't worry about what the neighbors think or about seeming foolish--this writer was not too ashamed to call out phrases like "Do bop Mommy?" and "Are you hungry in you tummy?" at the top of her lungs as she searched for her missing cat for four agonizing days and nights last winter. It also can't hurt to rattle dry food or cat treats in a bag or box or tap a can opener against a cat food can if that's an accustomed part of your cat's routine (add these to your cat-catching tool kit, above).
The familiar names, words and sounds will help "anchor" your cat by sending mental images of home and keep him from heading further afield in search of a new safe spot. (Tip: as you search, every few steps, call to your cat, stand still, listen for a responsive meow and repeat. Even if the cat can't bring himself to come out to you, he might meow in response, helping you focus your search.) Dusk and dark are especially good times to head out to try to catch the gleam of your flashlight reflected in the cat's eyes, provided you can do so in reasonable safety. Keep calling and talking to the cat as you walk: check under cars, bushes, in storm drains. (Tip: cats often use storm sewer systems as underground highways and for shelter and warmth; in most jurisdictions, you can arrange to have a manhole opened so you can go down yourself, especially if you see cat eyes peering up at you or hear a meow in response to your call.) Ask neighbors for permission to look in their yards, and in and under their sheds and porches. Keep checking and rechecking all these areas as your search proceeds--your cat may have had to find a new hiding spot sooner than he wanted to.
Meanwhile, at home, set food and water outside your house, preferably in a sheltered place that you can see from your window. It can be useful to scatter your cat's used kitty litter around the yard, to send him a familiar, comforting scent trail back home. You may also wish to borrow a humane trap, particularly if you've seen your cat or had promising reports from neighbors. Many shelters will rent humane traps, and rescue groups like FFGW can sometimes lend them out and/or give advice on safe trapping techniques, including what to do if you trap someone who is not your cat. While it may seem obvious, if you do trap your cat, no matter how ecstatic you may be, don't even think about opening the trap until you have your cat in an enclosed space! Be strong!
When you see your cat, even if you don't actually recover him that day, you are in the home stretch. Have your cat-catching tool kit with you, but don't count on being able to actually recover your kitty the first time you see him. Whatever you do, don't shout, shriek or run toward him. He may want desperately to come to you, but may still be in the throes of his "keep safe" instinct and be unable to come to you. Instead, summon every ounce of will you have and sit down on the ground and talk to him quietly. Try to lure him to you; resist the urge to grab him tightly the moment he comes near. Use the time while you're trying to get him to approach to quietly empty out the carrier. Be strong--if you grab or lunge at him, you will scare him and make your task even harder. When he comes to you, try to pet him for a while before even trying to pick him up. If you can, coax him into your lap, but still don't grab. Let him step off your lap if he wants to. This is the time for slow and steady reassurance, not for swift maneuvers.
As anxious as you are, we promise that it's better to let him go than to act too swiftly and scare him off. Once he's approached you and is more like his normal self, you'll want to turn to your now-empty tool kit. Place a small amount of the cat food or tuna as far back in the carrier as you can and try to get him to walk in. If he does, be prepared to close the door as soon as all four feet and his tail are inside. Don't force the issue if he only goes part way in. If he won't fall for the carrier trick, you can try to pick him up and place him in the carrier, but be extremely cautious. (Tip: use your gloves--he may be your baby, but if he's scared enough, he may try to use his teeth to protect himself--even from you!) Taking him by the scruff of his neck and lowering him into the up-ended carrier tail-end first is a good technique, but don't try it if you've never scruffed your kitty before or if you know he just can't stand it (many can't).
If you don’t think you have a chance of getting him in a carrier, or if he's resisted but is still hanging around, you can try wrapping him in the pillowcase or towel to help you keep control over him until you can get him safely inside your car or home. It may, however, be wisest to postpone recovery, especially if you're not confident that you can keep him under control until you get to your car or home. You can come back later and try coaxing him into his carrier again and/or begin setting a humane trap on nights when you can watch the trap from afar for several hours while you wait for your hungry little one to fall for the bait. Don't be defeated! Even if he won't come near or runs off. The hardest part is over. You know where he is; you know he's okay. You will soon have your cat in hand. Keep trying. Don't despair. And, whatever you do, don't give up!
"Lost Cat 101" in a Nutshell:
Do not give up.
Be your cat's press agent.
Lost cats play possum.
Walk the walk and talk the (kitty) talk.
Lure the Prodigal into his carrier.
Ambush (trap) him if necessary.
Do not give up.
Check out the Missing Pet Partnership website for additional information, tips and help.
