[Julia]

I've just written an article on locating a lost pet, hopefully it will be of use to anybody looking for a lost animal. If anybody has further tips, please feel free to let me know. The more help we can offer the better.

First of all, ensuring your cat is easily identifiable either with a permanent microchip or a cat collar with an ID tag. Include your cat's name & phone number on the tag but no address. Ensure your contact details are up to date. 

It may seem obvious, but check inside your house thoroughly. This includes in wardrobes, cupboards, under beds, behind furniture & appliances. Check inside washing machines & dryers. Cats can climb into extraordinarily small spaces which don't seem possible. 

Call your vet. Many veterinarians have a "lost & found" book. Leave your contact details & a description of your cat. 

Walk around the neighbourhood calling out to your cat. Try taking a box of biscuits or a can of food & make a noise. Even if it is daylight, take a torch with you so you can check dark areas such as under cars. Ask local tradesmen, your postman, paperboy, garbage collectors etc. Check storm water drains & sewers (obviously you can't go down there but if possible look down grates & call your cat's name). When walking the neighbourhood call out your cat's name, make some sounds with the food & then listen. A frightened or injured cat may be quiet. Be aware of sounds around you. Look both up & down. Check out trees, under bushes & cars.

Knock on neighbour's doors to see if they know of anything. It is not recommended that you do this alone, and definitely NEVER send a child out to door knock. Ask your neighbours to check their houses, under their houses, garages & sheds. It's worthwhile asking your neighbours to ask their children to keep a look out for your pet too.

Print out flyers & include a clear and preferably full body photo of your pet, drop them in as many letter boxes as you can. Offer a reward but don't state how much you are offering. Don't include your full name or address. Just include a first name & phone number. It is also useful if you put tabs on the bottom of the flyer with your phone number on, this way people can rip off a tab & take it home with them for future reference should they come across your pet. 

If you have school aged children, have them ask their classmates to keep a look out for your pet.

Call all the animal shelters in your area. If possible e-mail or send them a photo of your pet. If it is at all possible, visit the shelters yourself as the description you give them may not translate well. 

Ask local business's in your area, leave a flyer with them.

Place an advertisement in your local newspaper. Don't forget to check the "found" listings in your paper too!
If you have moved house check your old location & put flyers up there too. 

Check online. Many pet sites have bulletin boards/forums which have lost & found areas. 

Engage in the services of a pet location company. 

Put some food & water on the veranda, your cat's favourite bed & a piece of your old clothing. 

Sadly sometimes cats do get hit & killed by cars so it is worth calling your local council & asking them what happens in the event of a cat being killed. They may know or will be able to put you onto somebody who you can leave your details with, in the event of the worst happening. 

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[Doreen]

That's great advice Julia. I would just add that if the lost cat doesn't respond during the day, it is often because they are too frightened of being exposed in the light, and it is very important to go out at night and wander around calling them. Some are more inclined to respond to you in the dark as they feel a bit more secure in the dark. And the key is also not to give up after a few days, many cats are located a long time after they go missing, so keep trying.

[ryan f]

[font=Arial Black]OUR CAT MOLLY WENT TO THE VET TO GET HER TAIL CHECKED ON JUNE 3RD 2006 IN ROBINA QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA. SHE HAD AN ABSESSE ON HER TAIL FROM A CAT FIGHT. THE TAIL WAS SHAVED SO THE VET COULD GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE ABSESSE. AFTER HER TAIL WAS CHECKED SHE WAS PUT IN A CAGE SO WE COULD TAKE HER HOME. WHEN WE LEFT THE VETS THE CAGE DOOR SWANG OPEN AND THE CAT JUMPED OUT OF IT AND SHE RAN UNDER CARS IN THE CAR PARK. WE TRIED GRABBING HER BUT SHE RAN OUT OF THE CAR PARK AND WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE OR FIND HER AFTER THAT. WE HAVE PUT SIGNS UP EVERYWERE IN THE AREA , KNOCKED ON DOORS , PUT FLYERS IN PEOPLES LETTERBOXES BUT SO FAR NOTHING. ITS MY BROTHERS CAT AND HE IS SO UPSET ABOUT THIS AND WANTS HER HOME WITH US. SHE WENT MISSING AT ROBINA VET ROBINA VETERNARY SURGERY. ROBINA VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTRE CNR COMMERCE DRIVE AND RON PENHALIGAN WAY. ROBINA QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA 4226. if found please phone 55620995 or mobile 0419511265. or email fizzaman2002@hotmail.com. PLEASE SOMEONE FIND HER WE ALL WANT HER BACK AND WE LOVE HER SO MUCH. FROM RYAN (ROBINA)GOLD COAST QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA



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[petsearch]

Great advice Julia! They are all the things we recommend to people when their pet goes missing. We can also help people with searching for their missing pet, don't hesitate to contact us, even if you just want to talk to someone.

[furball]

Notify your local Council within 72 hours of the cat going missing. This is a microchip requirement.

[Netty]

After we got the dog our cat disappeared for 2 weeks then finally turned up one night at our front door at 11pm, by banging on the door, so sometimes they just go "walkabout".

[churchie]

Hi,

Great advice.. can I ask why you don't put your address on the ID's ?. As I have my address on all of my cats id's, I thought it would ensure they were returned to me asap.

Deborah

[burmeselover]

It's better not to put your address on a pet tag because it gives a potential thief an address to go to if they want to steal your pet. It wouldn't be the first time that a purebred dog was patted by an innocent looking stranger in the park while off leash and then goes missing from the backyard days later... Horrible thought but it happens.

[catsville]

Julia has given some very good advise but I would like to add something after my times with missing cats.
When a cat is lost even more so for an indoor cat they would be very scared and will be hiding most likely in the area that they where lost. As i found out with my india they may not come out to you calling. I would have been very near India but she did not come out to me.You need to check every last nook and cranny in the area.
So if the dreaded every happened again I would follow the advise given by Julia but I would get a cat trap from the council or buy one at a farm supplies type place. You need to wrap them in a old blanket so just the opening is exposed and it would then look like a great place to hide and place with food in it overnight in the area the cat got out. We have caught a cat this way that was missing 3 days.
Hope this never happens to you it is the most horrid time.
But if it has best of luck and keep your hopes up, my India was gone 55 days and a friends cat was gone 4 months but the are both home and well now.

[sofia]

Stupidly we didn't have a collar on our cat, a ginger and white male 2 yo who is missing in Coburg/ Fawkner area of Melbourne. He is microchipped though. I heard that if they are lost and having to scavenge a collar can be a hindrance to them anyway?!
Sofia