7 Steps to Find a lost cat


Color signs, offering a reward, searching the neighborhood relentlessly and alerting vets, police and neighbors are steps to finding a lost feline as soon as possible.

Losing a cat is one of the most stressful situations out there. And, unfortunately, it happens. The first advice to avoid this, and also the most important, is to take extreme precautions: you must always make sure that the feline is safe, identify it with a microchip and badges, make sure that the windows of the house are closed and that the The cat is in a sheltered place when someone comes home or a move is made . But if it is still lost , how do you find it? Here are 7 steps to achieve this: among others, search the neighbourhood, make color signs, offer a reward and notify veterinarians, police and protectors.

1. Avoid losing the cat: protect it and use a microchip

Did you know that cats get lost more than dogs? The lost felines, in addition, have a good chance of never returning home. While 70% of dogs that are lost manage to return to their human family, this figure drops to 5% in the case of cats, according to a recent and unusual study. The reason?  Only one out of every five people picked up on the streets has a microchip, despite the fact that this identification system is mandatory!

The microchip is safe, cheap, and easy to attach to a cat. A lost feline with a microchip that reaches a veterinarian, police station or animal shelter will be able to reunite with its human family in a matter of minutes. The microchip contains the contact information and address of the owner of the animal. But what if you don’t have a microchip? For them this way of returning home is closed, and the possibilities of returning are reduced.

The collars and identification badges, with the name of the cat and the mobile phone of its human, are of great help as well. The stray feline can be immediately identified by a neighbour or a police officer as an animal with a family and can be contacted.

2. How to find a lost cat? Search home

Not losing your cool is important, even if it’s complicated. It is not uncommon for a cat hiding under the bed or napping in the bedroom closet to be lost. Before you lose your temper and go looking for him outside, you have to search every corner of the house.

A trick? All you have to do is open the doors of all the cabinets, shake the jar of feline treats, so that the sound reaches your ears, and wait for it to appear. You can also use your favorite food tin: open it and wait.

Step 3. How to find a lost cat? Track the neighbourhood

A stray house cat will be scared. And chances are high that it is hidden. When a domestic feline gets lost, it tends to hide out of fear. Cats are territorial, and their territory is inside the house, so on the street they will not know what to do and will be afraid.

Fearful or injured felines will hide on a porch, in a ruined building, or in bushes. They won’t meow! The meow could warn predators or unfriendly dogs of cats, so it will be hiding in silence waiting to be reached for it.

Among the most useful tips is to look for them tirelessly and, to do this, carry a flashlight in case it gets dark. If there is an area of ​​urban cat colonies, you have to track the sector well and talk to its managers or feeders, as they can be of help. If you are lucky enough to live in a low house or chalet, it is convenient to place a cardboard box as shelter and your favourite food, so that you can return home. It is also advisable to contact an association to help capture it.

4. Stray cat: call the police and protectors

The local police, protective, adoption centers and regional and local veterinary animals neighbourhood are the first who must know that the cat has lost. You have to call them to inform them, as well as visit them later to leave them the posters created to find you. Neighbours should also be warned : word of mouth can help a lot.

5. Create color posters: LOST HOUSE CAT

The posters will help you find a lost cat. The words “LOST HOME CAT” should be clearly placed at the head of the poster and, below, a color photo of the furry friend.

Make color copies of the poster, and avoid black and white. The reason is that the distinctive features of the animal will be more easily identified by the neighbours, and the color of its coat can help. Use clear characters, better typed than handwritten, and better capitalized and bold, to capture attention. And remember to line the posters to protect them from rain or excessive sun.

Under the photograph of the cat, a description of the friend should be written, with information such as what colors it has and any distinctive facial or body markings or characteristic features, such as a cropped ear or shorter than usual tail, which will serve to identify it in the clearest way. possible. Do not forget to write the date on which the animal was lost, where it was last seen and a contact telephone number.

An idea to incentivize the search? Offer an interesting financial reward and you will be able to involve all the children of the neighborhood in the search for the feline.

6. The cat is lost: filling the neighbourhood with posters

Once the posters have been prepared, they should be placed in as many places as possible in and around the neighbourhood. To do this, you just have to take advantage of the advertisement posters of the veterinary clinics (visit as many as you can, nearby and relatively close), the bakery, the restaurants and even the municipal library. The more people know that the cat is being searched, the better .

7. How to find the lost cat? Use the internet and the local newspaper

The internet is a fast spreading medium, so use it to find the cat. Announce your loss on your social networks . Look for social sites or groups of lost cats in your area or municipality, since animal communities are very active in specific areas or neighbourhoods. Track your social networks, to post your friend’s poster there.

And don’t miss out on the local newspapers : almost all have a free or cheap ad section, where you can report the disappearance of the feline.

Important : When you find your cat, be sure to remove all signs and notify everyone involved.


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