Lost CAT TIPS

We know how scary it is to be separated from your pet, but don’t lose hope!

Displaced, stressed cats often hide quietly for an average of 10 days to two weeks, depending on their personality and whether they usually spend time outside.

If your cat is lost or missing, the first thing to do is report your lost pet and check your local county animal services agency. You can check their online Found Pet listings or visit the shelter in person. When you visit, take a color photo and description of your lost cat with you. Continue to check their websites and/or shelters regularly.

Here are more tips to increase the chances of finding your lost cat:

6 Tips to Find a Lost Cat

1. 1. Check the websites of area shelters frequently, and file a Lost Pet Report with the shelter in your county. You can also post to Petco Love Lost, which uses facial recognition to match lost and found pets.
   2. Contact the microchip company, if your cat is microchipped, to make sure your contact information is current. You also can put a “lost or stolen” alert on the pet’s microchip so that if it is scanned by a shelter or veterinarian, they will know that a concerned owner is looking for that pet.
   3. Look for your pet on local social media pages and post their photo. Some options include NextDoor, Craigslist, Petco Love Lost, PawBoost, and surrounding neighborhood Facebook groups and local “Lost & Found Pets of [Your City Name]” Facebook pages. You can also post your lost cat to these pages; make sure to include a recent photo, description, and contact information where you can be reached.
   4. Post and share flyers. Create a Lost Pet flyer and post it in the area or hand it directly to people in your neighborhood. Your cat may travel three or more miles from your home, so post flyers widely on all the major streets near you. Here are some ideas for making the most of your flyer:
      • Use large, bright posters, one in your yard and one at each intersection within a 500-foot radius of your home or the point last seen.
      • Place a flyer on every car and each door in the neighborhood, as many neighbors may not be out walking or take the time to read a sign.
      • Instead of the vague REWARD LOST CAT, offer a specific amount. The photo of your cat should be the largest element on the flyer, ideally a side view in silhouette to remove all distracting background. Here’s a free template for lost cat flyers, as well as a Lost & Found Poster Template.
   5. Alert your neighbors and request their help. Ask neighbors to check around their homes/garages/sheds — your cat may have entered an open building and not been able to escape. In addition, ask neighbors who may have outdoor cameras to review the footage to help look for your cat. The cat’s movement may trigger the camera, especially at night.
   6. Think like a cat during your search. In survival mode, cats are less concerned with food and more concerned with staying hidden — sometimes even from their owner. Their personality determines their behavior under stress: a curious, friendly, and chill cat may be sighted early; whereas a careful cat who is nervous and wary may only emerge at night. Use these suggestions to make searching for your cat more successful:
      • Search in the daytime; lure at night. Frightened cats may try to remain hidden and undetected. And shouting for them could even scare them off. Only call out for your cat by name if you’re within about 100 feet of your home or you see them.
      • Use a flashlight as you look; the cat’s eyes will reflect the light even if you can’t see the shape of the cat itself.
      • Do not put out kitty litter that will draw unwanted wildlife and bully cats. Instead, open a few windows to use the scent of home as a beacon.
      • Leave food and water outdoors to attract your cat to stay nearby. Wildlife may be attracted as well, so don’t leave large quantities of food.
      • Use a humane trap to catch your missing cat. Watch this video from Mission Reunite about how to use a trap to catch a lost kitty. You can rent humane traps from CAT for $2/day + $50 refundable deposit. Call us at (503) 925-8903 to ask about renting a humane trap.

CAT rarely takes in stray cats. When we do accept a found cat, we work with local county shelters to ensure those pets are posted to their sites, on Petco Love Lost, and on CAT’s website during the animal’s stray hold period.