How to find a missing cat - on the street, in the countryside, in the garden, in the village

We love our pets very much, because they become full members of our family. Imagine that your beloved cat has disappeared. You went around the rooms, checked the area and nothing. First of all, you need to calm down and remember the last time you saw him. Perhaps, after analyzing the last moment of the meeting, it will be possible to build a logical chain that will recreate the picture and allow us to organize searches in the right direction.

A cat is a smart and quick-witted animal. But even she can get lost. There are many reasons for the disappearance. Some pets, seeing a bird through an open window, may succumb to an uncontrollable instinct and jump after it. Others run and hide, scared of someone. Still others jump after the mouse, not understanding what awaits them. Often the reason a cat goes missing is the negligence of the owner who did not lock the door. Not all cats need to be found; some return to the house on their own. This applies to animals that are accustomed to the street. Cats often run away after moving. In this case, you need to look for them at the old address. If your pet cat has gone missing, you need to immediately start searching on your own.

Preparatory activities for the search

In order to return a missing cat, you must immediately begin searching after the loss is discovered. Pets often run away from home and fall off the balcony due to increased curiosity that arises against the background of hormone activity.

Successful searches largely depend on the implementation of certain preparatory activities:

using a flashlight, since in the dark the eyes of cats display optical light, which helps to quickly locate the missing animal. During the search, it is necessary to explore the darkest and most secluded places, and when night falls, the pet can crawl out of its hiding place (for example, the basement of a residential building, ventilation, boiler room);
binoculars and other optics. In such cases, you can detect your pet from a distance and not scare it off, as it may be in a highly stressed state. The devices allow you to thoroughly study the terrain within a range of several kilometers (dense thickets, forest, other hard-to-reach places);
you can find a missing pet with the help of your favorite toys, since many cats observe surrounding activities from a hiding place and can jump out into the street at the sight of familiar and familiar objects;
treats for cats. Shaking dry food in a can may be one of the cat's favorite sounds, so this method can also help in finding the animal;
using a clicker, since the pet associates such a sound device with receiving a treat. If he hears these sounds, he can quickly return to his place of residence.

If a cat runs away from home, then its owner must pull himself together, calm down and plan the right search plan. Avoiding panic will give results faster and help you find your missing pet.

Where to look for her hidden places?

As many cats as there are, probably, there are as many secluded places where they can hide within the apartment. But, talking with other owners of these animals, I discovered one pattern for myself. After all, they have common favorite places where they like to hide. I’ll tell you about them now. I ask the cats not to be offended by me for giving away their secret.

Cabinets

Cats love to climb into closets and sit there among clothes and linen. And enjoying the cleanliness and peace, they fall asleep peacefully. It is not clear whether their sleep is so deep and sweet that they do not wake up when their owner calls them. It is possible that your pet can hear everything perfectly. And he doesn’t respond because he doesn’t want to interrupt his idyll of afternoon sleep. Or maybe this is simply a manifestation of the harmfulness of her capricious and proud character.

Under the bath

Under the bath is warm, dark and cozy. There, our pets especially like to disappear during folk festivals, celebrated with loud volleys of fireworks. After all, everyone probably knows that cat ears are so delicate that any loud sound causes them great discomfort. When a cat hears the incessant firing of fireworks, it gets scared and tries to run as far as possible from these disturbing sounds. From my own experience I was convinced that you can call her and look for her for hours. He'll only come out when it's quiet outside.

On the loggia

There was a case in my life when a cat got lost in a closed apartment. And it was impossible to find her for many hours. Everything was done to search for her: the ringing of the bells of her favorite toys, the sound of food rustling in the box, and the slamming of the refrigerator door. Believe it or not, I even went outside into the courtyard of the house, asked passers-by about the cat, and called her affectionately.

By evening it became clear that the cat was missing. After crying a lot, I decided to print advertisements on the search for a cat. All that remained was to start the print when my sleepy little loser appeared in person in the doorway of the loggia. It turns out that she slept there all day under an inverted pelvis. She slept well, gained strength, and then at night she gave chase with an imaginary animal. All this was accompanied by her victorious screams and stomping paws.

Behind the curtains near the battery

If the cat is missing and the heating season has already begun, look near the radiator behind the curtains. Cats really like this cozy and secluded place. How warm, dry, no one sees her, but she herself has a great opportunity to eavesdrop and observe everything that happens. When you search, be sure to pull back the curtains and look below.

A few more places to look:

In a toy box.
In a crib.
Under the blanket on the bed.
Under the bed.

Of course, each apartment is designed differently. For this reason, I advise you to take note of where your cat appears after a long absence. So, by trial and error, you will be able to find the secret hiding places of your pet.

Possible places where an animal can hide

Considering the issue of a domestic cat running away, how to find it requires studying the probable places of the loss. In practice, an animal can approximately hide in the following places:

entrances from the upper floors, while at the same time you need to try to inspect baby strollers, buckets, shoes, other items located on landings, places near the garbage chute;
basement, attic. In order to open these premises, you must contact the Housing Office and receive the keys to the doors;
carrying out searches on the street, since cats love elevated places and can be on a tree, roof of a house, pole, balcony, tall bush;
in winter, a cat can hide in places such as heating pipes, a car engine, or a heating radiator located in the entrance;
possible search locations on the street (garage, shed, other utility rooms);
in many cases, the animal gets lost on the street in hard-to-reach places, so storm drains, sewers, and drainpipes must be checked;
When searching for a cat, a hungry animal is often found near trash cans and food preparation areas (a dining room kitchen or a cafe located near the house).

Possible places of loss in the house:

inspection of furniture, closet, niche, space under the bed;
the upper part of the closet, sideboard, furniture wall, since cats love to hide in these secluded places;
empty boxes and other containers that can accommodate an animal;
the window of the washing machine, which is constantly open and ventilated;
balcony and adjacent structures.

Finding a cat in the country is much more complicated due to the large territory, great access to wild nature (proximity to a forest, river), and possible collisions with wild animals. In this case, the pet may take refuge in a neighbor’s house, so it is important to check this option.

During search activities, you need to call the animal by name, try to rustle it with its favorite food, or wear a toy that is familiar to it, as these factors can make the task easier and find the missing cat on the street.

Where to look

If the apartment has been checked, and there is a firm belief that the cat has disappeared on the street or in other places, then you should search in the following areas:

At the entrance. After the pet leaves the apartment through the door, it will most likely end up in the entrance if it happens in an apartment building. You should start your search from the upper floors. It's definitely worth a look in all the nooks and crannies. If there are bicycles and baby strollers at the entrances, then you need to check the area nearby. A lost pet can hide in a distant and secluded corner of the entrance, so check everything carefully. But what to do and how to find a missing cat if it is not at the entrance?
In the basement or attic. As a rule, if a domestic cat escaped through the door, then it may be in the basement, and if it sneaked out the window, then you should look for it in the attic. Of course, both of these places require inspection, but first of all you should analyze through which exit the cat could leave the apartment. It is most likely impossible to enter a basement or attic on your own: the exits to them are usually locked. Therefore, it is worth calling the management company or asking the building manager where you can get the keys to the attic and basement. How to find a cat or cat if both of these places have been checked, but the pet is not there? Don't panic because there are several other possible locations for your pet.
In the courtyard. It is most effective to organize searches in the yard early in the morning. It is quite possible that at this time the cat, which is hiding in the bushes, will give a voice. Early in the morning there are not many people in the yard yet, and it will be easier to hear your pet's meow. You should look under the cars parked in the yard and carefully check the landscaping; your pet may be there. Tip: you can take cat bait with you: a treat can lure the animal and force it to come out of hiding. If the cat responds to a specific sound, for example, knocking on the edge of a metal bowl, it is worth trying to recreate it, and thus lure the lost animal. On the street, the kitten should be called in a calm, gentle voice. You should not expect a cat that is lost to respond to a call in a normal voice. Most likely, an animal in a shelter will be so frightened that it will not want to leave its secluded place even in response to the owner’s call.
In the country. What to do if your cat goes missing during a trip to the country? In such a situation, you should focus on searching in the area. It is necessary to ask all the neighbors whose plots border on where the cat escaped from. You can also ask neighbors further away, telling them the signs of your pet. Most likely, the animal could not have gone very far from the country house. By the way, kittens tend to run away more often than adult cats. It will be much more difficult to search for a kitten than for an adult animal. This is due to the fact that babies do not yet have time to get used to people. If your pet goes missing at your dacha, you should place a bowl with the animal’s favorite treat on the property. Perhaps this will attract him. Don’t be upset if your pet gets lost during a trip out of town. Perhaps the pet simply felt free, and after some time the owners will find him waddling near the house.
In a park or forest park. If a cat has disappeared, and there is a park or forest park not far from the apartment where it was located, then it is worth looking for it there. It is necessary to go through this area, trying to look under the trees and bushes. It is likely that the frightened animal hid in some secluded place. It is necessary to call the fugitive in a quiet and calm voice. Also, some lost animals climb trees. And so, the forest and park have been checked, but the pet has still not been found. What to do if your cat is lost, but all the places where it theoretically could be have already been checked? In this case, you should resort to tips for catching a fugitive, which will be discussed in the next section.

How to find an animal on the street

Searching for a frightened animal is quite difficult, since a cat can hide in a secluded place for a long time (for 2-4 days), so it is necessary to organize a proper search and carefully check possible places.

Often the pet can be found in the company of street cats, as sex hormones play a role, and it is drawn to the street during the period of active mating games. If it is important that the animal is completely domestic, then it needs to be sterilized.

In some cases, after searching, the cat does not want to return home at all, so homemade traps (cardboard boxes or other suitable containers) may be needed.

A cat that finds itself in an unknown situation hides for a long time (for 5-6 days) and does not go outside. She starves and becomes unadapted to the conditions that arise.

At the same time, animals do not run away over long distances, so searches are best carried out within a radius of several kilometers from the house. Cats are under severe stress, so they may simply not respond to their name or favorite treat.

Cats that are lost on the street often like to hide under cars parked in the yard, so these places need to be checked first.

End of story

The kitten from the story at the beginning of the article, as it turned out, was not in the apartment. He fell out of a 10th floor window, although the owners were sure that such a possibility was excluded. Still, they didn’t notice it, and there were no anti-cat screens on the windows.

The janitor, who was on the street at that time, saw everything and did not bother to find out what kind of cat he was and where his owners were. However, when the owners themselves began to torture him with questions, the janitor told how it all happened: the kitten flew down onto the net, jumped from it to the ground and disappeared in an unknown direction.

The kitten was lucky: he was not injured and found shelter in the basement of a neighboring yard. There he was found, dirty and emaciated, 4 days later. Now the cat is home again, and the owners decided to correct their mistake and installed anti-cat devices.

This story has a happy ending. We wish you never to get into such trouble. And if you’ve already been hit, then we hope your pet will be found safe and sound.

Source

What to do if you couldn’t find your missing cat in the first days

When searching for a missing cat, it is not always possible to find it quickly, but you cannot abandon this idea and you need to continue the undertaking. Some recommendations:

posting advertisements about searching for an animal in the area of residence, indicating external data, photographs, and the amount of reward. In this case, the form can be hung up in veterinary clinics located in the district;
social networks (in contact, classmates), as there are special groups where you can post information about a missing animal. This technique is quite effective, since the ad can be read by a large number of people.

The above methods can help in the search even after a long time, since the animal can stray to any place.

At the same time, fraudsters can take advantage of such advertisements for their own benefit:

a call is made and the owner is notified that his animal has been found;
most often the voice of the person calling is absolutely calm, measured and does not arouse any suspicion;
then the person demands a reward in a friendly tone with the transfer of the animal after some time (several hours, in the morning or in the evening);
at the same time, scammers often ask to top up a card or mobile phone number as a reward, and then disappear;
if the owner refuses to transfer the money, they may face threats (for example, kill the animal or not give it back, but throw it out into the street).

In order to prevent the development of such events, the following measures must be taken:

ask for the possibility of providing a photo using any electronic resource (mms message, viber, mail, whatsapp);
checking the name of the animal when naming it is incorrect and if the cat responds, then this is a fraudulent scheme;
checking for special signs or finding out any other characteristic features of the animal. If confusion begins, then most likely it is just scammers trying to illegally receive a reward.

Useful tips

Useful tips from experts when searching for a missing animal:

gradual expansion of the search area only after a thorough inspection of all local areas and other places located nearby;
search activities are best carried out at different times of the day, since frightened pets can come out of their hiding places in the evening or at night, when it gets dark;
calling your pet, using your favorite food, toys, or clicker is best used early in the morning or late in the evening, since it becomes quiet outside and the animal can hear familiar sounds and run towards them;
It is best to carry out searches with assistants, since it is quite difficult to inspect vast areas alone. Additional help can speed up the receipt of positive news;
finding out information from strangers (neighbors, children walking on the playground, pensioners on benches). You can show a photo of the animal, leave contact information and find out if anyone has seen it in the surrounding area;
You can also contact janitors or permanent residents who often feed stray animals and may encounter a lost cat on their way.

Make bait

Felines' sense of smell is much better developed than vision, so smell is an important landmark that can lure a lost pet.

Baits are placed within a radius of 100-200 meters from the house or a little further, preferably in places that can be checked regularly. You can use the following “beacons” for searching:

the owner's things - the cat will be attracted by an old jacket or slippers with a familiar smell; a toy, bedding or other favorite thing - a pet can follow its own scent; a small amount of filler from the tray will remind you of the marked territory of the house; food or treats - you can use it, but be careful; most likely, the feeder will attract stray animals. Walk around the marked points about two to three times a day; it is better not to get too close to them, but observe from the side

Walk around the marked points about two to three times a day; it is better not to get too close to them, but to observe from the side.

What to do when a cat is found

If a missing cat is found, then at the first meeting he may experience discomfort and be in a stressful state due to a sudden change in circumstances and being in an unknown environment for a long time.

You need to approach the found animal carefully and show it a treat in order to lure it and not scare it away. A hungry animal will gradually approach the food and then you can carefully try to pick it up.

Once the animal has been found, it is necessary to inspect it and identify the possible presence of wounds, injuries, fleas and worms. Such activities are carried out when visiting a veterinary clinic.

At first, it is necessary to limit the amount of food, since a hungry animal can attack the food and then get severe digestive disorders. It is best to eat small meals up to several times a day.

Additionally, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures to prevent the repeated loss of the animal:

access to the street must be limited for some time or regular monitoring of the animal must be ensured;
it is necessary to accustom the cat to its nickname, which should be simple and not complicated. This will make it easier to find the animal if it gets lost;
carrying out castration, sterilization, as the animal’s sexual instincts are dulled and it becomes calmer. However, this method does not eliminate the risk of it disappearing from home;
installation of metal bars on windows, especially in multi-storey buildings, since their landing is not always successful for general health;
the use of durable carriers, special harnesses instead of a collar when the owner and the cat move long distances;
microchipping cats and having a special collar will help you quickly find them, since the chip indicates information about their place of residence;
You can also try to teach the cat to walk outside so that he returns home on his own. However, it takes an indefinite amount of time to develop such a habit.

How long can it take for a missing cat to return?

Real-life cases show that lost cats can return home after several months or even years. According to statistics, up to 50% of lost owners find their pets healthy and unharmed.

65% of cases confirm the fact that cats return home from distant places (cottage, village or other places where the animal was early). Intensive searches, patience and perseverance increase the chances of finding the loss within a short time.

Therefore, if the cat suddenly disappears, then you need to immediately start searching in all possible places. In this case, the animal can return home on its own after some time. Much depends on the pet and the circumstances of each specific situation.

It's best to do your best and try to check all your options. The loss of a beloved pet is an unpleasant matter, but it can be resolved if you follow the recommendations presented.