Last Updated on August 30, 2023
Expert Advice: How to Search for and Find Your Lost Cat
Are you searching for your lost cat and wondering what to do?
While you should always take steps to raise local awareness regardless of your lost pet’s species (and you should read that article first if you have not already), effective boots-on-the-ground search measures for a cat can differ substantially from those for a dog. It all comes down to behavior: A lost cat behaves very differently from a lost dog.
That’s why we’ve collected these actionable tips for finding your lost cat. All of these methods have worked for other cat owners, so they are worth trying!
Tip #1: Focus your efforts close to your cat’s last known location.
A lost cat will typically stay within a 3-5 house radius from the home (assuming the home is the last known location). This is especially true of indoor cats that have gotten out, though indoor/outdoor cats will typically stay close to home as well.
When they get out, indoor cats tend to be quiet and fearful, and to hunker down and not emerge, even to the sound of the owner’s voice.
Search thoroughly any hiding places within your own home: under furniture, in closets, in drawers, on top of cabinets, in HVAC ducts or indoor crawlspaces. Search your and your immediate neighbors’ yards: in bushes and trees, under porches and decks, in high-walled courtyards, and in crawlspaces under houses.
Check nearby garages, sheds, and abandoned buildings. Keep in mind your cat could be trapped somewhere, so check any nearby enclosed spaces she could have squeezed into.
Tip #2: Search for your missing cat when the world is asleep.
A scared or shy kitty will be more likely to reveal herself when all is quiet. This means late at night (10:30pm or later) or early in the morning (6:30am or earlier).
Go out with a flashlight. You can take a few cans of cat food with you (the smellier the better). Stand out in the open and pop the cans, or shake her treat jar.
Calling out for kitty has worked for some, while others say just using your normal speaking voice works better. With either option, keep your voice calm; a frantic tone is not likely to attract a frightened cat.
If you have a normal feeding routine, repeat it while searching nearby areas. For example: If you feed her canned food at night, take a can of food and a spoon and walk around calling your kitty and tapping the can with the spoon.
Searching when all is quiet has other advantages as well. Calling out with your voice, shaking a treat jar, or popping a can of food will all be better heard by your hiding cat. If you’re lucky, she will come running when she hears these familiar sounds.
Tip #3: Use the power of scent to attract kitty back home.
A cat’s nose is far stronger than a human’s. That’s why scent can be a powerful tool when searching for your lost cat.
Put out kitty’s bedding and/or toys on your porch or in your backyard. Leave out an article of (unwashed) clothing that has been worn by her person. Put out smelly cat food or treats.
It might sound gross, but sprinkling used kitty litter in and around your yard emits a strong scent that can attract your cat. You can also leave the litter box itself on your porch or in your yard. Please note used litter may attract other cats and predators instead of your cat.
A cat’s sense of smell is very strong and having familiar smells may help her find her way home.
Tip #4: Set out food and water.
This comes down to a basic survival needs. Eventually, your kitty will need to start looking for food and water (although keep in mind cats have been known to survive days without water or weeks without food).
When it comes to food, the stinkier the better. Think sardines, tuna, or other types of foods with pungent aromas. Please note putting out food may attract unwanted animals scaring or possibly endangering your cat.
Consider setting up a wildlife camera pointed at the food and water. This way, you can see if your cat has stopped by to eat, which is a strong clue she is probably hiding somewhere very close.
Tip #5: Make a weather-proof outdoor shelter.
You can make a weather-proof outdoor shelter using either a large plastic storage container or a large styrofoam cooler, with a hole cut out at one end as an entrance. This can attract your lost cat by serving as a safe hiding place.
Keep it secured, in a location protected from the elements, such as a porch or under a deck. If you have a garage, you can leave the garage door cracked open and place it inside.
In cold weather fill the shelter with lots of clean straw or shredded paper (not blankets, which retain moisture and cause hypothermia). In warmer weather use a cardboard box.
Tip #6: Consider using a humane cat trap.
You can ask animal control or local cat rescues if they have a humane cat trap you can borrow. This can be a good option for extremely shy or skittish kitties.
Make sure to do your research before you try out this method.
If possible, consult with a local expert from animal control, a cat rescue, or a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program. Sometimes, they will even be willing to come help you with this process in person.
Tip #7: Don’t give up!
Too often a pet parent will assume their lost cat has been killed by a predator and give up the search. Contrary to popular belief, this is rarely the case!
The more likely scenario is that your lost cat is terrified, hiding out somewhere nearby. We’ve seen cases where a cat has been missing for weeks or months, but is eventually found hiding just a short walk from home.
So keep up the search and use all the tools available to find your cat. If you’re feeling dejected, read our Happy Tails for stories of other pet parents who have reunited with their loved ones. Sometimes, all you need is a little encouragement to regain hope.
Know of any additional tips that have worked for you or a friend? Send us an email at tips@pawboost.com so we can add them to this list and help other cat owners reunite with their fur babies!
Joanne
April 30, 2018 at 4:09 PMDon’t forget to put up notices including a picture. in your neighborhood That is how we heard that someone had found our neighborhood cat trapped in a crawl space from the day after Halloween until the day after Christmas. Miraculously, he survived and is fine now.
Janeen Hamilton
April 2, 2019 at 4:41 PMThank you so much. Im going to try to do all thats suggested. Thanks so much for all the great ideas.
Holly
September 27, 2019 at 12:28 PMMany thanks for all of the excellent suggestions and recommendations. We will try these out and not give up hope. Mittens never strays from home…I am so worried about him!
Kassandra
November 23, 2019 at 8:45 AMMy cat BouboO is the man or should i say cat … of my life ! He really is my BEST FRIEND! i never had such a perfect companion! He loves wen i talk to him , ask him how his day is going , or “‘answering” his whatevers i think he’s trying to say ☺ he loves listening espesially singing! Sometimes he sings along in his language meow. Taking this moment to celebrate & remember him beacsuse it is his 5th birthday today🎉🎈 hope we get to celebrate his 6th birthday together …
BouboO has been missing since Oct. 26
From 345 blv. Wilfrid Lavigne J9H 0E7
He has green collier with purple heart ingraved with his name & phone number. ANY INFORMATION PLEASE CALL OR TEXT : (819)-576-6373
Lashaun Turner
April 8, 2020 at 2:34 AMThank you for the encouraging suggestions, I will NOT give up & I will keep trying, I miss my Midnight
Carole O.
April 22, 2020 at 11:33 PMLess than 12% of lost pets found at animal shelters are claimed by their owners. Dont give up searching regularly, especially during these tough times. My cat was gone for 5 months before turning up at my back door accompanied by her mother. Have faith. My hopes are with you.
Michaela Mckay
July 27, 2023 at 1:59 PMIs midnight a black male cat? Also. Do you live in San deigo because last night at 830, me and my sisters saw a male black cat with no collar on walking around. You cat text or call me here if you need to: 9818436871
Brittney
September 11, 2020 at 1:30 AMThank you so much. Jasmine is an indoor cat so we’re very concerned for her but we’re trying everythingwe can to get her home.
JACKIE
October 14, 2020 at 2:39 PMThank you very much. Mayet escaped this morning
***Don’t Forget to Post on NEXTDOOR Join if you have not already.
Vicki
October 26, 2020 at 9:43 PMLeave your door open a little after dark. Shake a treat bag and call her from where the door is open. Also open a can of wet smelly cat food outside while you call her. Ten put the wet food where her dish is in the house. Let the door stay open for as long as you can. Stay in the room where the door is open quietly. She will smell the food from outside and will sneak in to eat it. Get up slowly while she’s occupied eating and close the door. She’s in protection mode and will try to run back out because she is afraid.
Sandra
November 14, 2021 at 1:16 PMThank you 😊
Trying all ypur recommendations!!
Ivette Hernandez
October 15, 2023 at 2:30 AMThanks for all the suggestions
Elizabeth
December 31, 2019 at 4:38 PMMany that’s for the ideas I will be doing all of them
Brooke Garcia
October 16, 2022 at 7:01 AMThank you to Al the wonderful and generous people who put so much effort into finding lost animals! I miss my cat so much! I won’t give up hope! I can’t wait til we are reuinted again! I will try all the great and wonderful tricks to help get her back!
Brandi Lombardi
June 4, 2019 at 2:08 AMGoing on day 10 I’m devastated don’t know what to do😿😿😿😿😥😥😥😢😢😢😭😭😭😭
Valerie
June 13, 2019 at 5:39 PMI am at day 14 and feel same way….
Pat
June 21, 2019 at 11:26 PMTo everybody who lost their cat, don’t give up. As suggested, we went out at 10:30 at night with flashlights watching where other cats went and hung out listening for me hours and calling her name. We found her being cornered by two larger cats God. The cats really are nocturnal and night time is a good time to look for them because also the flashlight reflects in their eyes. I pray you will find your cats interview night. PS Most animal shelters photograph every animal that comes in so it’s good to check online said the animals that come in each day. Put up fliers, mention a reward, and there are many online last pet organizations where you can post your pets description and your contact information.
Diana
July 7, 2019 at 11:13 PMSame here, what a horrible feeling not knowing where our sweet cat is.
Kay Opper
November 9, 2019 at 9:47 PMThanks for all the tips. We did as you suggested and this will be night one without her. I’m so worried that the wild animals around here will get here.
Jamie Verdina
November 16, 2019 at 8:30 AMI’m just so lost, but I’m going to try going out again tonight..the positive thing I got going for me is I had rescued him from the outside a few years ago, so I definitely know he can handle himself plus hes a 22 pound cat . But my worry is there’s so many mean people out here that are just absolutely terrible to animals and my cat such a sweet boy he loves attention so he would go up to most people..I have to stay hopeful…
Kim Mulaski
November 23, 2020 at 8:41 AMI haven’t slept in 3dasys I am so upset it is getting so cold , I am ready to sleep outside? Any more suggestions to help get my gracelyn home please shed some light thank you
Lisa
September 22, 2020 at 11:51 AMI’m at day 5 it’s crazy I checked the animal shelters and I just posted pics
Theresa
September 29, 2020 at 9:40 PMI’m at day 5 also, I cried last night and again this morning. I’m gonna try the tips I read, I will print pics, and go walk tonight.
I hope you find your pet soon.
Maria Velazquez
July 12, 2019 at 4:25 PMMy cats is lost also 😭 he’s would always come back now I’m on my 6th day he’s still not home…
Sandy
July 21, 2019 at 7:54 AMSandy spent her 2nd night away from home. I hope she’s okay. I am so scared for her. I just to see her sweet face and hear that meow.
Delilah Mason
January 10, 2021 at 10:22 PMThank you for the information. I will continue to search for my cat
Zachary Thomas Angle
September 12, 2019 at 11:15 AM😉
Zachary Thomas Angle
September 12, 2019 at 11:16 AM😉 told u he come home
Belen villar
March 19, 2023 at 6:00 PMThanks for ur lovely help and tips
Stephannie
October 31, 2019 at 10:18 PMI feel your pain 🙁 I’m so sorry
Nina
November 9, 2019 at 2:17 PMI know exactly how you feel. I can’t eat and feel like I don’t know how I’m gonna go on. He is not a scaredy-cat so I highly doubt he is hiding somewhere. I keep praying and praying.
Val Patmore
November 16, 2019 at 1:53 PMHi Nina,
I’m in UK but am going through the same with my missing baby…not sen since Monday this week. I’m the same as you….can’t eat and just keep bursting into tears, I feel like my heart is breaking. Perhaps your cat has returned home now?
Sheila Louthan
November 23, 2019 at 5:31 PMgoing on thrird night so scared I will not see my cat again no sleep I’m worn out
JILL G. Miller
July 13, 2020 at 7:24 PMThankyou for ALL THE TIPS
SAM SAM MISSING SINCE
13FEB
ORANGE TABBY HANSOME UNNEUTERED
NINJA FOOT. HE JERKS HIS BACK LEG
CAN BE SKIDDISH
Christine Bone
August 18, 2020 at 11:48 AMI’m absolutely devastated hes like a little human the house is not the same without him I’m pleased I have read your message on how to try and get your cat back it has given me some hope I pray he comes home and that you too are reunited with your own cat god bless x
Kim
February 12, 2020 at 9:03 AMI’m on day 29! I’m literally going crazy over my where my cat might be! Chief is my baby! She needs me and I need her!
Kim Roberts
February 12, 2020 at 9:14 AMChief went missing once before about two months ago for 11 days and when she came home she was skin and bones! She looked like she had been trapped somewhere or maybe someone had intentionally starved her! She was so happy to see me again as I was her! I picked her up, both of us shaking, and took her straight to the food. She purred the entire time she ate! She didn’t even try to go outside again until she got out on 1/13/20 and she disappeared again the same day! I’m dying inside not knowing where she is or if she’s alright! I’ve posted flyers, contacted every shelter around, posted on every site I can find and continue to search the neighborhood!
Cherine
March 9, 2020 at 3:13 PMDear Kim – our sweet girl, Stella, has been gone for 3 nights now and we are wrecked, I am online right now looking for tracking collars that are small, light and have decent battery life- a few I see last for months. I suggest you do the same and even look at luggage tags – many them are small and have GPS and batteries that last for weeks.
I hope you have your baby back, or will soon!
Susan Snow
June 28, 2021 at 3:20 PMKim Roberts, I pray your kitty, Chief has come home by now and if not just keep looking and praying she does get home soon. My thoughts and prayers are with you, with all who have lost an animal. My “Big Fuzzy” my large orange male, long hair cat came up missing Thursday night last week and no one has seen him around. I keep looking , calling, showing pictures, and praying. Keep the faith <3
Kay
February 26, 2020 at 4:20 PMI read some of the comments on here. I feel so badly for people who have lost an animal! I lost a cat about 3 years ago and I was so devastated, it took me months to get through it …I know someone who took in two cats who were stray and that makes me believe that is quite often what happens to pets who disappear. They meet some nice person who is good to them and takes them in. There are a lot of people out there who love animals.
Stacey
May 3, 2021 at 7:41 PMI pray that’s what happened to my Aero he has been gone 3 years now I’m still looking and still devastated!!! I miss him so much .
Luz Diaz De Leon
March 11, 2020 at 11:52 PMOh i know that aweful feeling..going on week 2 also! I Feel i want to yell my cats name to come home
Dovie Cabral
March 20, 2020 at 3:48 PMThis may sound rediculous but it worked for me and I felt the same way. What have you got to lose? That’s what I said to myself so I did it and so happy I did. Well, first all u do is get a cup out of your cupboard and place it upside down on ur kitchen counter. Believe it or not, I SWEAR it worked for me!
Good luck and I hope u all find ur beloved family member( pet)! My daughters cat has been missing since yesterday morning so today I did this very same thing so I pray it works AGAIN;)
Anita Phillips
May 3, 2020 at 7:03 AMThis article has definitely given me hope thank you
Patricia Kreckman
September 21, 2020 at 8:57 PMI feel for all who have missing pets. Today is week 1 for.me. as with most of you I am frantic. Can’t sleep or eat. He is a sweet boy & if someone left a door open he might decide to visit
He is a certified service pet, so I’m extremely anxious to get him back. I bottle raised him from 2 days old. We have not been apart for 1 day for almost 6 yrs. I pray for all of us that our fur babies come home.
John Rector
August 31, 2020 at 12:59 AMI’m so sorry…don’t give up!
Ginger Dees
October 7, 2020 at 10:31 AMDid you ever find your cat? I’m on day ten today, and I am beside myself, can’t even function to work or conduct life as we know it. I sure hope you got yours back…..🙏🏼
Flora
April 17, 2022 at 12:07 AMI completely understand your pain, mine got los 6 hrs. I’m so heart broken😭
Mark Cantoni
January 6, 2023 at 1:54 PMIt’s true when they say “don’t give up”. I had my cat missing for about 4 months before. When I finally did give up, one night I was standing out in my driveway, and from out of the shadows she came walking up to me! She was a little wobbly from not eating right, and also ate a bad lizard that made her really sick, (which is why she stayed away in the first place). Hang in there!!
Crystal Dempsey
July 4, 2019 at 5:24 PMThank you so much, this helps a lot !
Terrèe
May 4, 2020 at 12:07 PMWow. Thank you! I’m not giving up hope!!! 💔🙏
Angie
January 3, 2021 at 4:06 PMI lost my cat 5 months ago. At the end of June and her collar and flea collar was found on a golf cart. She always kept close to the house. A employee from the country club about a mile from my house called my number off of her collar and he said he found the collar on a golf cart. They collar was I tack with her flea collar.. no sign that both the collar and flea were unbuckle. Perhaps she slipped out of it if someone tried to catch her. “I don’t know” I looked for her around the country club and in the Nieghbor hood where they play golf and use the golf carts to get around. I couldn’t find her then the 4th of July came… I was devastated that she would get further away with the fireworks.. I walked and drove around both my neighborhood and in neighborhood with the golf course. I still have not found her.. I can’t understand why someone whom may be a golfer wouldn’t call my number off her collar if they found her collar with her tag. Then my Nieghbor called me and said they spotted a coyote down the alley from our homes. So, I have no idea what could of happened to my beautiful Lexie. She was my baby for 10 years and I miss her.😢
Candy Goldsberry
January 16, 2021 at 10:24 AMI’m so sorry for your heart Angie! I totally understand your grief and fear. I haven’t seen my kitty ( Shadow ) since New Year’s Eve and also have a deep feeling that someone has harmed her. I’m going out to post fliers today and f/u on a tip on my Nextdoor post from PAWboost post . 🙏. Searching the shelters is heartbreaking not only bc she’s not there but so many are. If I ever get her back.. she’s getting a tracker! My prayer for you and your sweet spirit soul.
Nikki
June 1, 2022 at 2:57 AMThank you for this 🐱
Dena Marie Chamberlain
October 24, 2022 at 10:48 AMOkay, will do – thank you!
Mirdza Hayden
December 22, 2022 at 9:10 AMThat’s amazing! What a miracle
Zach
January 20, 2023 at 4:12 AMThis is extremely helpful, thank you!
Teresa
April 23, 2023 at 1:35 PMThank you
Susan
June 15, 2023 at 2:48 PMThank you for your encouragement and advice. I’m afraid we’ve had coyotes in the neighborhood caught on camera and I’m so afraid that one might have caught my sweet boy. I keep my other cat inside at night now.
But I won’t give up!
Barbara Branny
June 20, 2023 at 12:32 PMThank you so much for all your suggestions 😊
Marni Holmes
May 1, 2018 at 11:33 PMOne other thing to remember when looking is that a space that you think your cat would never fit into is absolutely a space that your cat will TRY to fit into! I once found my 12 lb cat behind a freezer with about 4 inches of room between it and a wall. He fit but he was stuck. They aren’t so good with spatial relations… ;-).
Jean Jenns
May 2, 2018 at 8:51 PMto Marni Holmes: I’ve always heard/ read that cats can get into and get out of any space no larger than their whiskers. WHICH is a pretty small space!
Heidi Thoen
October 25, 2019 at 12:20 AMShe never strays. I’m worried that someone just took her. She has a collar
On, but it’s happened before. A woman 5 houses down had her. But she knew where
She /we lived, and gave her back. I’m printing up a ton of posters tomorrow, And going door to door. I’m so sad, but not giving up. Thanks for everyone’s advice and support!
Caren Dembowski
October 29, 2019 at 7:00 AMI know how you feel. I just lost my cat name pumpkin. It is really like losing one member of your family. I hope I find my cat and I hope you find your pet to. Good luck
Eileen
November 11, 2019 at 7:02 AMI’m hoping someone in my neighborhood will do the same . We put up flyers all over anything that had a street pole , stop sign etc but when I came home from work i noticed they were curled up from the moisture in the air so you couldn’t see it and a few fell down . I feel like he’s not far ( I hope ) it’s been 3 days now and it feels like 300 days instead. I’m really worried about the coyotes that are right at the end of my street. There’s a large field that most come out of at night and I’ve seen then walk along the street usually around 1-3 am . I’ve heard cats scream at times during the night and I think I hope it’s just a cat fight and not a coyote that got them. I hope to god wherever my cat is that he’s hiding in a spot where they can’t get to him if he’s still wandering around . I’ve spent hours searching both day and night . I just hope whoever finds him doesn’t decide to try to keep him . I just want my baby home . I think I’m going to try to make some copies of the flyers I posted on the street poles and just go around the neighborhood and put them in all the mail boxes instead hoping that someone will respond .
Marianne
January 6, 2020 at 5:46 AMMy sister is missing her sweet cat as well. She got 50 posters made up with Charlie’s picture on it & had them all laminated. Pretty pricey but most pet owners will pay whatever it takes to get their fur babies back. Nailed them to wooden phone poles. Rain etc… won’t be a problem…
Anita
May 3, 2020 at 7:10 AMI had a dog come up missing 3 * people kept taking him anyway I did it exact same things you did have Flyers made up laminated them and put them up at every post box is the time everyone had one post box for the block and everybody had to go there to get their mail I noticed that is on
The fire was being taken down I just this one particular post box come to find out he was three houses away from that mailbox! So my advice to you is if your posters starts being removed I would focus in on that area and maybe more than a coincidence
Debbie Dawson
May 2, 2018 at 5:41 PMAnd show or give flyers to people normally on foot in your area – Mailmen, Newspaper delivery people, kids out playing, And post flyers in local vets offices, pet supply stores, groomers, etc… And give to neighbors! (Make sure flyers have your contact info!) Post on local Facebook pages for Lost & Found Pets in your area. We have several- every little township, the county & bordering counties. – Make sure to include location where lost- Not just town, but cross streets!
Jean Jenns
May 2, 2018 at 8:50 PMALSO, from personal experience: GO TO all local animal shelters, most will not help you by going to see if they have a “female torti with a scar over one eye”, or other such descriptions. I’m sure they have good reasons, but none would help me in my search other than by telling me to come down and look in person. (Which I did!)
They DID tell me that every single animal that enters the shelter is immediately scanned for a microchip with a hand held scanner.
For all local veterinarians, I also wrote short notes and included the “Lost cat” notice with a good photo of my cat on it, and begged local veterinarians to post it on waiting room walls.
We also, of course, put up the “Lost Cat” notice with a good photo of the cat on it, all around our neighborhood.
YES, we did eventually (after 17 days) get her back!
Cindy walko
October 8, 2018 at 11:01 PMWhere did u find her ?
Brenda Gelsleichter
October 22, 2019 at 1:07 PMI have done everything, Tammy is still missing ☹️
LOLLY JENSEN
May 3, 2018 at 3:04 PMEACH TIME I FEED HER WET FOOD I TAP THE CAN WITH A SPOON SO SHE ASSOCIATES THE SOUND WITH FOOD, HOPEFULLY HEAR IT AND COME HOME.
Shaheen anwar
May 3, 2018 at 4:11 PMI did everything for my cat but no luck it’s been 2 years
Kristy Amoresano
June 1, 2018 at 9:30 PMI’m so sorry to see this. I can imagine how much you miss your pet
pamela
July 21, 2018 at 6:39 PMohh nooo im sorry im on4days and am so so sad..
Heather
September 7, 2018 at 6:09 AMi’m so sorry to hear that, hopefully you’ve found your cat by now. my cat has been missing for a week 🙁
Melanie A Hill
September 10, 2018 at 8:15 PMIm so sorry. It’s like missing your child. I dont never want to give up looking because I feel like I have failed him. Its sad.
Jewelry Renfro
February 9, 2019 at 12:01 PMExactly. Begins to describe how I feel 🙁 I’m so sorry… For all of us!
Missing Day 27 🙁 PawBoost ID 53845
Mary Zorich
September 28, 2019 at 9:49 PMTips 1, 2, and 7 did the trick for me. After talking to everyone on my street ending in a cul de sac, I took my neighbor out searching the neighborhood after dark with flashlights, some of his moist food, and his cat carrier. They need to add culverts to their list of hiding places, but luckily the neighbor that helped had a cat hide in one. The three to five houses away was pretty much spot on. He was at the third house’s driveway culvert. Tip 7 is what gave me hope. I live on the edge of a cow pasture and coyotes live back there. Tip 7 says they usually don’t get munched by predators. It has been 5 days and like the tips said, being an indoor cat he was very scared. We had a time catching him. Much thanks to my neighbor.
Debbie Johnson
November 15, 2019 at 4:14 AMThank you fir sending this info. I was starting to give up but now I know my oreo us out there somewhere.
Caren Dembowski
October 29, 2019 at 7:03 AMGood luck 😾
Vicki McInnes
October 8, 2018 at 10:56 PMMy friend commented on my Facebook page and said she found her cat after 2 years, so don’t give up
Ann
August 4, 2019 at 10:32 AMI am so sorry I have a cat thats been gone almost 2 years. I think a predator got her. She was 9 and spayed and never strayed out of the yard. Looked everywhere for 6 months. Talked to the neighbor 10 acres away she said 2 of hers are missing same time my baby disappeared.
Connie
May 3, 2018 at 6:32 PMUse a flashlight when searching in dark places, the light will reflect off of their eyes. If you put out clothing you have worn refresh every 24 hrs or after rain. Put signs, the more eyes looking the better the chance of getting a lead on where it might be. Remember to put signage in neighboring developments as cats will go into storm drains and come up away from their home. Talk to dog walkers, joggers, the mailman etc . Make business size cards (templates on line) and pass out to people. I have helped people find lost cats and we also made flyers – 4 to an 8 x 11 1/2 standard copy paper and put them door to door. Leave in the door or under the corner of door mat as it’s illegal to put in a mailbox. Place them under the windshield wipers of cars in apartment parking lots. Put signs on cluster mailboxes, bus stop shelters, post near schools, churches etc., anyplace lots of people gather. And post to nextdoor.com a community based website that is local to your community. It’s not in all areas but see if you have access to it and use the help feature to expand your community to include adjoining ones. It has been very successful in reuniting pets with owners.
Kathy Koletzke
May 3, 2018 at 10:10 PMAlways keep up to date clear, focused, colored photos of your pet so you make up lost posters in a flash. Keep a list of your cats markings or any specific scars incase you get a call from the shelter they may have one of more who look like yours a photo close up of the eyes is very helpful because of fear your cat may not respond to you. Be able to prove yes this is my cat! Make up posters & Post them at gas stations, food stores, area telephone poles, bus kiosks the corner church and schools – kids love animals are non threatening little people who notice animals! Offer a reward. Ask your neighbors if you can search their garages if they are in the habit of leaving it open. Check wood piles, and if your cat has a hunter instinct search around bird feeders Call your local radio stations many announce lost pets and your info for free. Put one of your posters in your back seat car window make sure the lettering is large enough to be easily read from another car. Run off copies and distribute them at shopping center parking lots. After you find your cat run a thank you ad in your local paper. and make sure you got back and take down all your posters from the street in inside stores and vet offices. don’t give up!
Julie
May 4, 2018 at 5:48 PMToday, after two weeks of searching the woods behind my home and setting live traps with no luck I was giving up. Now that I’ve read this article I will have to try some more. Thank you for the encouragement!
Sabine Abanto
August 5, 2019 at 1:38 PMDear Julie
I wish you did find your cat ? I would be happy to know more on what you did and ,..?
Thank you
Kathryn
May 4, 2018 at 10:21 PMIn addition to looking for your cat at night, leave the door to your house open at night (take turns standing guard or sleep in the room with the open door for security reasons). Scared cats are more apt to venture from their hiding places at night, and I’ve heard of lost cats who are found because they just walk into the open door.
karen
October 30, 2018 at 9:39 PMMine did. It’s really cold outside. But, I kept the patio door open. Her sister squeezed out, crying loudly. She’d come back inside every 2 minutes to see if I’d seen her twin. She never stopped crying. Her sister heard her screaming and she came home. She was tired & cold & hungry. But she heard her sister crying and she found her way home.
Kathy Jansen
May 5, 2018 at 11:52 AMThank you for the Kitty Tips – Gabby was gone for 24 hours and fortunately came home on his own during the next day’s sunset. Still don’t know how he got out of the house! My TIP: if your cat wears a collar, be sure it is a BREAKAWAY. Gabby came home without his. It may have gotten caught on a tree branch or he may have encountered another neighborhood outside cat. Don’t want to imagine what could have happened if he had a regular collar on.
Heather
September 7, 2018 at 6:24 AMif it wasn’t for all these tips i don’t think i’d have the faith and courage to keep looking for my Rosalie. she hasn’t been found yet, but i did find her breakaway collar, so she must not be too far off at all. i’ve posted a lost cat report and will make posters to put around my town and hand out to neighbors.
Kaytee Rath
September 26, 2018 at 6:16 AMpraying angels will round her up safe home quick
Sharon
December 18, 2018 at 9:42 AMWhat is a breakaway collar and where can i find one?
Stacie
September 14, 2020 at 12:51 AMIts 1am and I cant sleep whatsoever. Tonight will be the 3rd night he’s out. Including 2 other cats, one a year ago and one a few months ago. Im so exhausted. I miss my babies.
Lynn
May 13, 2022 at 5:58 PMA breakaway collar has a weak part that will “give away” with pressure. If a cat catches its collar on a branch, it will allow the cat to get away rather than being hung up and maybe injured around the neck. Sometimes it can accidentally come loose, but weigh the safety issues to decide on what’s right for you and your cat. Any pet store will have them in a cat collar area. Dog collars are not breakaway, or the collar and leash would be useless. Good luck and best wishes.
Denise Arasin
May 18, 2018 at 7:43 PMThanks you all for your kind comments on EBONY.
Mike Ziegelmeyer
May 27, 2018 at 9:55 AMHi,
Thanks forthe tips. Will try them with our lost cat.
Mike
Jeanne Pacheco
May 31, 2018 at 10:32 AMI can hardly believe I found my cat after reading “7 tips to find your lost cat.” She had been missing 4 days. I tried everythng to find her. I read your tips this morning and decided to look closer around our home. I went into my
Garden shed and gently called her name; after a few minutes I heard a faint cry. It was her; she was scared and hiding under a cabinet. I coached her out after offering her food and water, but she was more interested in getting pets than food. Amazing! 4 days without food or water. She is doing great! Thank you so much for your “tips.” So relieved to say we have a “happy ending.”
Donna Douglas
January 6, 2019 at 7:16 PMSame exact thing happened in my case! 4 days…next door neighbor’s shed. They looked on day one and I left it at that until I heard faint sound on day 4. She was not interested in food or water at first either. She just want hugs and kisses!
Always, always check any place they could have been accidentally trapped. Check personally. Do not just ask neighbors to look.
Linda loucks
June 5, 2018 at 10:03 PMMy cat Harley had been missing for 1 week now.I was driving home from work in Friday about 3 blocks from where I live when i noticed a cat in the road.it was very afraid but with my headlights on I could see the color in the cats face and body.Im sure it was my cat.I pulled over and called the kitty but she ran from me and hopped over a fence.i feel so,helpless now.i don’t know what to do.
Emeryl
June 10, 2018 at 6:19 PMPut flyers up in the neighborhood you saw her, so that people there can send you tips if they see her! She will probably stay around the same areas rather than wander endlessly.
Georgina Scarberry
June 13, 2018 at 3:04 AMThe same thing happened to me! I feel heartbroken and hopeless… does that mean they dont want to come home?? 🙁
Picture
February 2, 2019 at 10:55 PMOne thing to know about cats: there is a special bond between you and them. Cats get depressed or sad when they separate from their owners, especially if they call you their favorite. For a cat to run away from home, they were just curious. But trust me, they miss you.
Debra
August 1, 2018 at 1:40 PMMy Jasper has been missing 5 days and I’m heartbroken. I’ve gone out looking in the evenings and called for hime frequently. I did put his litterbox out and will try walking with the flashlight at night.
Ye
September 14, 2018 at 4:44 PMdid it help? Did you see your cat? I lost my cat and try to find her
Lydia Engdol
August 5, 2018 at 12:44 AMMy Daisy has been missing for over 3 months now, she is grey, found her as a baby feral kitten. She is 7 now.. I miss her and keep hoping she will find her way back home😢
Debra
November 2, 2018 at 8:20 PMHi Lydia,
My cat Beaanie ran out of our house during a hurricane 7 weeks ago when a door flew open. He was so scared and he is a indoor cat. I am afraid he ran and can’t find his way home….. but I wil not give up in finding him. I call and look for and have uwed all websites I can think of. One day I hope to post that Beanie has found his way home….oh, and Beanie was a ferel kitten I had to trap to rescue when he was about 4 mounths old. Don’t give up!
Ron
August 12, 2018 at 2:40 PMI’m on day 5. No Pawly. Still. I cannot believe how devastated & broken I am. I can barely function as everything is undone & falling in around me. He was (IS) my best friend, & I have never been in more dispair. He goes in & out but never for very long bouts of time. He’s just a baby.
I have prayed & prayed. These tips are very encouraging. I’m sad for the ones who are still searching.
Janice
August 14, 2018 at 4:55 PMOh, that is so sad. I totally understand my Gary has been gone for two days now and I can’t eat or sleep….. sick feeling. I dread waking up and going thru another day of not knowing. Take Melatonin at night to sleep… it will help. Talk to your doctor about anxiety medication… it helps too. I hope you find your Pawly.
Deby
November 4, 2018 at 7:34 PMDid you find your kitty? Mine had been gone 1 day, and I can’t breathe. How can I go on…brokenhearted
Kirsty
August 15, 2018 at 10:10 AMI am on 7 days without my baby. Ive put posters up, been out every single night looking for him, put his food on the step and smelly socks in the garden. I hope and prayer that Skittles comes back to me.
prabin rai
May 16, 2019 at 4:35 AMhey did it worked ?
carol cremer
August 17, 2018 at 8:01 PMTomorrow will be two weeks without my cat, I have had Tommy for twelve years now, he was getting more used to staying inside, but I tried to get him out one day to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. While he was probably out relaxing in the many areas on our property, me and my daughter made the terrible mistake of letting our pet dogs out before we brought him in. I think they must have chased and scared him out of any surroundings familiar to him. I dont think he was out enough to mark many spots. We live on four acres , and to make matters worse we are surrounded by large farm fields and dense wooded areas. Very rural here and no neighbors close by. I still hung up signs by any roads connecting to ours, have posted online , and have searched during day and at night for any sites or sounds. The closes humane society to me is miles away but i let them know anyway. It is very easy to want to giive up, especially when you live in the country where so many predators could get your beloved pet. So I am just praying for a miracle.
Dru
September 27, 2018 at 9:25 PMI live in the country too and it’s been a little over a week since my kitty has been gone. I am so worried that a coyote or a dog got him because he never has been gone like this before. I miss him terribly.
Kathryn
August 24, 2018 at 1:09 AMI have a suggestion especially for those with sidewalks and storm drains in the neighborhood.. Call your cat only walking home to avoid confusion and to help your cat find home easier.
Kimberly Aaronson
September 9, 2018 at 5:39 AMThank you.
Iryna
September 13, 2018 at 5:03 PMMy cat Samaya was missing for 7 days. I just found out about this website yesterday afternoon and after registering and reporting a lost of a cat I received this email with 7 tips and so many comments of yours. This is incredible but it helped me and I found Samaya the same day. All this information and your advices helped us so much. We went outside to search for her so many times during the week, but never too late at night. And after reading all this information we decided to try around 11:30pm. We searched within 3-5 houses around our place, and tried to listen carefully for all kind of noises. And after a while we herd some noise from the inside of one of the garages of our neighbors and after calling her name she started meowing so loud. The owner had no idea she was there all that time. She was so scared. She got inside somehow through the hole as he had some reconstruction going in his garage and patio.
This is incredible. I want to say huge thank to all the people who shares the information and advices. Of course sometimes it doesn’t work that easy but it helped Samaya and she is safe and home. We would never thought she could be stuck somewhere so close to our house and that is the reason I decided to share this story with you. Maybe it will help someone.
I really hope that everyone of you will reunite with beloved pets. Never stop searching..
Liz E.
September 13, 2018 at 11:33 PMBy this Saturday, it will be 3 weeks since my cat has been missing. I’m still so heartbroken and emotional. The tips on this site definitely help give me encouragement. She is an indoor-only cat, has never ran away before. I’m hoping she’s nearby as many websites suggest. We’ve had calls reporting sightings of her, but whenever we look, we can never find her. We look multiple times a day and night. We’ve tried just about everything but the humane traps. Please pray that we find her.
Robbin VZ
September 15, 2018 at 1:46 PMMy Nema has been gone for 3 days and I’m completely consumed with finding her. It is killing me inside, no eating or sleeping, I have tried all these tips already, but will continue to search. She’s an indoor and outdoor cat and I automatically thought she may be stuck somewhere. She would always come home either late at night or early morning. There are mean people out there and Im so afraid for her. She doesn’t “spray” and I think people think that all cats do that and don’t want them in the neighborhood. I also keep a litter box, that she uses. She’s 4 years old and we have lived in the same place. As soon as I started letting her go outside, there was no more cat pee on my front door or my vehicles. She chased them all away. She has also killed several rats and chased them out of my attic. She was my watch cat hero. She was so lovable even my husband who “is not a fan of cats” loved her. I really hope she comes home soon.
Brandon Hartwig
October 8, 2018 at 10:45 AMOne smart idea I have tried for future reference is connecting a Tile to your cats collar so you are able to track them if they are lost. Just food for thought. I will leave a link for one they are only 20 dollars!
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tile-tile-mate-item-tracker-white/5581767.p?skuId=5581767&cmp=RMX&extStoreId=1152&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI56vBwor33QIVArnACh3ZsAqEEAQYAiABEgLFdvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Michelle Stephens
December 30, 2019 at 2:00 AMBest idea ever!!!
Erin
October 19, 2018 at 1:02 AMComing up on 3 days. Angel is 14 and I’m so, so worried – she’s in great shape, so I don’t think something bad health wise could have happened? She used to be a indoor-outdoor cat when she was younger and she never left the yard even back then, so when she managed to slip out on the 16th (couldn’t catch her, she bolted and went over the fence) I told myself it’d be fine and that she’d come back and I’d bring her in. But she’s been a no show ever since and it’s only getting colder. Can’t stop kicking myself for not getting to her faster or going out to get her right away. I went combing the neighborhood on foot twice on day 1 and once via car – gonna try again tomorrow on foot again. Put up posters around the neighborhood, checked shelters, posted in vet and pet shops, posting online… but this article has some good info – hopefully it helps! Haven’t been sleeping and am enjoying the constant headache. Hoping she finds her way home asap, missing her like crazy.
Alba Regina
October 26, 2018 at 1:09 AMI am so sorry for these people who lost they pet. My kitten “fofinho” for the first time go out by the front door, and gone. I went around the neighborhood with a bag of treats, shaking and calling for him, he always came when I shake the bag, but he didn’t show up. He is a VERY SCARE cat, even with my husband, and some time with me, so I thought the only way for him coming back is coming by himself, I don’t have faith in him and no hope, was night and he is black, hard to see him. I put his litter box by the door, hoping he will find it. Once in a while I go by the door calling him and shaking the bag. As this night was the night we put the trash out I have a feeling to open the back door, and there HE was. He gone for about 6hrs and ½. God is so good and I thank “HIM” for. I hope these people find they pet. Thank you for your concern and attention.
Ann
October 27, 2018 at 3:39 AMIsn’t the range for these only about 40 feet?
Lynda jones
October 27, 2018 at 8:22 PMMy cat Kitley has been gone for 6 days now.I am heart broken. I am 71 years old and have just had knee replacement surgery it is hard for me to walk around but I still try. I do have some friends and my sister helping me. My sister is who told me about this site. I will try all 7. I have put flyers out.and have talked to several neighbors who are out and about. I am going out tonight at about midnight.and early in the morning. I have put his litter box out and put a jacket and the pajamas I slept in last night in it. I am beside myself sick to my stomach can’t sleep and almost non stop crying.I pray to God for His help I don’t know what else to do but keep the faith. Thank you all for your suggestions and I will keep your all in my prayers to bring your babies home.
Chad
November 16, 2018 at 2:22 AMI could use some possible advice. My cat went missing 4 days ago. I have many stray or outdoor cats in my downtown area. Ive had one cat coming up to eat the food I put out and check out the carrier and litterbox i setup but not use them. Is this going to prevent my cat from coming back home? She doesn’t know anywhere else. Shes only been a indoor cat and only lived in one location in my current city. Someone mentioned to me that they spotted her Tuesday Morning 6 blocks away from me, they are pretty sure it was her. Is that likely that she would have been pushed off that far and lost? I went to put flyers up in that area, I was thinking I should maybe expand further from that point by now? Thanks.
Susan
December 13, 2018 at 11:08 PMMy cat came home after 8 years. True. He was beautiful I believe someone took him and then moved. It took him a long time but he made it. He just walked into the yard. Dirty, hungry and tired. Don’t give up
Teresa Lemieux
December 18, 2018 at 9:36 AMMy Cat has been missing for a week now I call him everyday and night hoping that he can hear me. I even went into the house across the street that was up for rent just to make sure he was not in there. I am going to put up posters today. He is listed on the Lost and Missing Cat Facebook and Paw Boost., I am hoping to find him. I have had him since he was 8 wks old and he is now 10 yrs old. So this website gives me hope.
prabin rai
May 16, 2019 at 4:37 AMhey is your cat back ? my cat is lost for a week now.
Janet Renee Leary
December 20, 2018 at 2:15 AMOur Toothless was let out of the house by our amazingly smart cat, Stormy ( stormy figured out how to open the front door). We have 5 indoor pets and 4 of them were awaiting on the front porch when my husband came home between work shifts. Toothless was not among them. We put out his carrier and favorite snuggle t-shirt, a bowl of food and water, and waited….17 days. Everyday and every night we would search…posting on social media, microchip tracker sites, Neighborhood community center, talked with neighbors, everything we could think to try. We really was giving up hope as there was no word. Then, driving into our garage, the kids and I caught a glimpse of a running cat. It was our baby boy!! The kids quick gave chase and found him hiding in a cranny under the neighbor’s porch 4 doors down. The relief was so emotional. We keep checking on him. He’s hungry, dusty, and skittish, but by the graces of all the Gods…Toothless is back where he belongs; cuddled on my lap, purring up a storm.
tony
December 27, 2018 at 2:17 PMmy boy scruffy has been missing since x mass 2018, i went in a 5 house radius leaving letters asking all to check there sheds and garages for him as well as putting posters up. I will not stop searching for him. His grandmother Boots was missing for 6 months and i found her , it was during the bitter cold winter of 2016. found her in feb 2017 she was in rough shape and skiddish but after a month she was back to her old self , stay positive don t give up the search
Phyllis Tucker-LaBelle
January 1, 2019 at 2:46 PMPlease, please don’t give up hope! I adopted a rescue kitten that is blind. She went missing just before Christmas. She was an inside cat only & had been extremely traumatized before she was rescued. Her voice box was crushed somehow & she can barely meow. Her eyes were gouged out. So you can see that I had no hope. She only knew her way around inside the house. Somehow she got out the front door & when we tried to catch her she freaked. She somehow went from cement wall to the next in the neighborhood. Then she was gone. I felt so much pain & guilt because I told her I would always protect her. I have no idea how she did it, but after a day & a half, early in the morning she made it back to my neighbor’s patio & was stuck behind some boxes. I went out at 6 a.m. I called for her & thought I heard something like a raspy meow. There she was. She did not spend the night there, because we had looked there for her. If a blind, almost speechless cat can make it home, so can yours. Follow the seven steps listed. My prayers & hope are with anyone out there who has not found their beloved kitty. I know your pain. I feel it was my prayers that brought her home! She has been traumatized again but is coming around.
Steve
January 4, 2019 at 4:26 PMYour story helps..thnx. my cat has been missing since holoween..hope is all we have
Karen Bertrand
January 15, 2019 at 12:48 AMHi. My cat Puff has been missing for a week now. We have had him for over 10 yrs and recently moved into a apartment. We have three cats. After almost a week of keeping them cooped up we let all three out the same evening. All three have been indoor/outdoor but Puff is the oldest. The next morning the two younger ones came back but Puff never did. We have searched our apartment complex, made a few flyers, checked local animal shelter and vets, We even went back to our old house but nothing, not a trace. Is is possible our other cats know where he is? Could he be close by? We are not ready to give up hope. Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciate . Puff also has a collar with ID tag on as well.
Kim Derington Tillman
March 14, 2019 at 3:08 PMUgh. I’m just a few hours in and loosing my mind! I move in a few weeks. So I’m praying so hard she will find her way home. Shes old. I dont think she will survive long.
Emily Grogan
April 8, 2019 at 9:30 PMMy wish is that no one ever has to go through this. First the worry, then the guilt, then more worry and more guilt. My Sebastian has been missing for a week. Every day he is gone, I feel him slipping away.
BB
April 19, 2019 at 12:54 AMMy cat has been missing for 9 days, and my family and I are suffering terrible grief. Easter is in three days, and I don’t feel like celebrating this year or making a special dinner. I haven’t even decorated. My adult son suggested a simple BBQ, and so I guess that’s what we’ll do.
We’ve scoured the neighborhood, searching for her. I’ve put ads in the newspaper, in my “Nextdoor” neighbor group, and in Facebook missing pet groups, but no luck. We’ve questioned neighbors and had some look in their garage and sheds, but no luck. It seems as if the cat has vanished into thin air as no one has seen her.
I know some cats come back home after weeks or even months–and that has even happened with other cats I’ve had in the past, but with this cat, it’s different. I’d raised her from the time she was an orphaned, two-week-old kitten. She’s very close to us, obsessive about being with us. At seven-years-old, she knows her territory well and would never be away long as she couldn’t bear being without us. I honestly believe that if she could have come home that she would have done so by now. So I’ve come to the conclusion that she probably got hit by a car or killed by a predator. I just wish someone would come forward and tell us what happened so that we could get some closure. I know that someone out there knows something.
I’m sorry for everyone who has to go through this.
Robin
April 22, 2019 at 8:43 PMMy Tobey has been missing for 6 days. We are staying at a friends apartment until mine is ready and he ran out of the door. I have called and called him. Left out his litter box, my dirty clothes, food by the door. I’m so heartbroken. Him not being an outdoor cat at all, I can’t imagine he went very far. I’m going back out to look more tomorrow.
prabin rai
May 16, 2019 at 4:38 AMmy cat is lost for a week as well. did she came back ?
Bob
April 27, 2019 at 2:39 PMThese are all great and inspirational stories of pet owners’ love and devotion to their little companions. My Smudge has been missing for a week now. But getting these suggestions, and reading all these stories, has renewed my desire to hang in there….for my cat’s sake. No matter how sad I am at having her gone, I know she is probably very frightened and disoriented. So thanks to everyone for keeping me focused on what’s important; getting my little Smudge back to the warmth and comfort of home.
Lisa M Caputo
May 10, 2019 at 12:05 PMThank youi for your encouraging words as we have no proof coyotes may have gotten our Siamese but will continue to look. We are all devistated as expected.
One word of advice I thought about and that is to have a plan of action before your cat gets out. We have regrets we didn’t sit quietly at the opening of our culdesac where she was last seen. Neighbors will say they looked in their yards but they don’t like you would so insist they allow you to look. Get more help to search the same night so the cat can’t get too far. I wish I had called my adults as they are both mad we didn’t call them that night.
Prayers to all the missing and lost. I am hoping my cat has another life in her and she will return.
Phil Youngberg
May 18, 2019 at 9:50 AMI caught my cat Gypsy this morning at 6 AM. As suggested, I got an animal trap and set it last night, I also slept outside and called her several times to let her know I was there. At 6 AM the trap went off, I heard the squawk of a mad cat, and it was her. She is now at the Vet getting checked out and I bring her home at noon. Thanks for all the concern from all you nice folks ,
Mimi Quin
May 18, 2019 at 5:35 PMThanks for all of you sharing your personal stories… My Icee Girl got out last night, unnoticed… I had already closed the pet door. She did not come to have breakfast with her two cat sisters and I started looking for her, frantically… That was 10 am this morning… She is indoor/outdoor, but mostly indoor… She goes out in the company of her cat sisters, never alone… There is severe weather right now, the two cat sisters are here with me… They are in an exacerbated mood, crying out loud. For sure they notice the absence of their missing cat sister… I have a heavy feeling in my core. I spent the last 5-6 hours calling out for her, whistling her usual song, driving around the neighborhood, praying that I don’t find her on the side of the road, hurt… I went to the local animal shelter, no luck… — Prayers for all the lost pets, that they are not in pain and that wherever they are, they are warm and not hungry.
Mimi Quin
May 18, 2019 at 7:00 PMUPDATE: REUNITED!!!!!
After reading this online article I felt encouraged and walked next door, to a construction site. The article suggested that the lost cat could be either injured or trapped so I walked all over the site, even inside the actual house that is being built. Like the article suggests, I was wearing dirty/smelly socks… Funny detail, my other 2 cats were following me, like guardian dogs… Lo and behold, as we walked bak inside our home, I noticed that instead of 2 cats, there were 3… Missing Icee Girl might have been scared and hiding somewhere in the construction site… She is now home, safe and sound. I wish I could show you the picture of the 3 sisters cleaning up after having an early supper. Special thanks to PawBoost for the informative articles!!! God is good!!!
Wendy
July 23, 2019 at 9:02 AMExtremely helpful thank you 🙂
JJ
September 10, 2020 at 10:16 AMHi do you live in VERO beach Florida???? Because my 1yesr old sweet baby brother is been missing for 3 weeks now and I have got 11 CATZ and his little brother runty is just devastated and so am I 😿I cannot stop crying and watching all my babies doing the same and I’m dying inside, I feel lost with a beyond broken heart I just want our boy back, he’s got such a beautiful heart and I know that he is so scared and he’s just lost and all 12 of us are still looking and I don’t know what to do with this and I just will never give up on him I know he would never ever leave his little brother RUNTY’s which I bottle-fed both of them and he always was always watching RUNTY’s following him around outside always taking care of him and he would never ever ever leave him especially and he would never leave us and I am just devastated beyond belief I don’t know what to do I just wish I had some help to look for him if anybody lives in Vero can you get this message can you please get a hold of me and maybe could you please help me look around because I am torn up inside and I just know that he would never ever leave us , we’re a big loving family and I also got a text message from some creepy guy saying that he has BROTHER , and this person was taunting me and trying to get me to do weird things on the phone and saying ok I gotta prove it’s really your cat, so he kept trying to get information from me and als trying to get me to give him my family’s number and just weird text messages to me and so I called the cops and they didn’t help out at all 😿😔😭… so I started thinking about all this horrible stuff. I just don’t understand how or why he would play such horrible game with our hearts, and I am absolutely sick and I’m so sad I just want my baby boy back!!! I’m trying to figure out a way to build a safe outdoor enclosure because all my cats are inside outside cats and they always say in my yard so I don’t know what’s going on I just wish I had some help from anybody out there to help me build a cat a big cat door and enclosure outside that connects to my shed my screen porch in my house I just need help I don’t have anybody to help me and I just beg anyone if you could please help me thank you God bless you everyone and I feel ur pain , I pray we all find r babies!!!😿😻🐾❤️🐾 will someone please write back to me please I am just really sick and going crazy and I just have to find him, my sweet baby boy and he’s just so loving and I just know that he would never leave his little brother or all of us! I need help plz plz help me 😔
Ed H
August 12, 2019 at 1:47 PMWe found Luna! After searching (daytime) for hours, posting flyers, and also online, we put her litter box, a used towel, and some treats/food outside. My wife checked at 1:00 am and again at 3:00 am, and there she was! Thanks for the advice. It was my fault that she escaped outside, as I’d left a window open and she pushed through the screen.
Lori
August 14, 2019 at 1:08 AMWell I guess most of us are in the same boat. My Baby has been gone for almost three nights now and I am feeling lost and sad. She is nineteen years old and a real scaredy cat. i am going out looking again tonight,after posting flyers all day. Doesn’t matter if I go every hour, i can’t sleep anyway.
KidePlace.com
September 5, 2019 at 2:06 PMAnother important tip: Before you find yourself in this sad situation, consider getting your pet microchipped by your veterinarian. This preventive measure is actually effective in bringing lost pets home.
Charli Messer
October 6, 2019 at 8:13 AMI MISS MY CAT SMOKEY SO MUCH I HAVE BEEN TO EVERY WEBSITE TO TRY FIN HIM ITS BEEN A MONTH NOW I SO WORRIED ABOUT HIM
Robert
October 20, 2019 at 11:32 AMour cat disappeared one Fall day…thought he was gone for good but on the 4th day we put his bed on the patio and he showed up that night. we now have a female missing…she never leaves the property and is very meek. fingers crossed we find her.
Richard C
October 9, 2019 at 6:48 PMI’m on day four. Physically and emotionally drained. After four and a half years of traveling the country in a camper without incident, my cat decided to venture off while I wasn’t looking. This occurred at dusk in a state park campground in NM, where the terrain and natural environment (dense brush, cactus, rocks, snakes, coyotes, etc) are more challenging to a domesticated pet and it’s owner. I’ve put her litter box, food, water, dirty laundry, and bedding outside with no success to date. It did attract an opportunistic feral cat and skunk, but no kitty yet.
The nighttime search works better for me wearing a headlamp, I saw the feral cat’s glowing eyes in the dark. Hopefully I will find mine soon. Worrying about dehydration. I know she’s terrified and hiding somewhere near or far. I can’t imagine leaving campground without her. Feeling helpless.
Zaita
October 25, 2019 at 3:49 PMThank you so much for these tips and comments! Tip #2 and #7 helped a lot. My black cat was really scared and would not come out from a crawlspace in a neighbor’s yard. So tip #2 said about cats being nocturnal and coming out late at night around 10:30 pm. The cat really belongs to my sister, but I babysit, she told me to call out for the cat before I went to bed. It ended up a little past 10:30 and I called out, my cat cried a meow, I immediately went around the front yard to my neighbor’s open back yard, sweet and calmly talk to my cat and he came close and I got him. He struggled, got out of my arms, but didn’t run too far – same method but manged to get him inside the house.
mary ann
October 31, 2019 at 11:32 AMMy cat Smokey has been missing since Sept. 12th, 2019. He jumped out of our RV in the middle of the night at an RV park. Now we are home and he is not. The people at the RV park have helped us by putting up posters at the park and at a grocery store. The shelters also know about him. What else can I do? I miss him so very much.
Jean Jenn
November 1, 2019 at 6:22 PMCan I just add: NOT being judgmental! But imo, all cats in this day and age should be indoor only.
They LIVE longer and healthier lives. (One of mine lived to be nearly 20)…..average lifespan for ‘outdoor’ cats is something like 3 years. Of course indoor/outdoor cats live longer, but still have to deal with cars, dogs, coyotes, people who shoot at or poison cats, and so on.
Just buy them a lot of toys, and take the time to PLAY with them, so they aren’t bored. We have a cat condo next to a window, and she loves to sit there and look out.
She was lost once, by accident, but I got her back after 17 days, thank God!
Chris
January 19, 2020 at 9:23 PMA happy ending story for you! After diligently following all the tips here, I cannot believe that I IGNORED Tip #1: Check all the cupboards in the house. WHY dd I do ALL those other things and ignore this obvious tip? Because my cat will do ANYTHING for treats and I shook the treats and called him all over the house very thoroughly without nary a peep!! So imagine my surprise when EIGHTEEN hours after this guy went missing, he hopped out of a cupboard when I opened it to get a collander. Our other cat likes to open doors so we think he opened the door and the other guy hopped in. I had no idea any cat would remain enclosed in a high traffic area of the house from 11 pm until 5:30 pm the next day!!! So check your cupboards 🙂
Jeannette
February 25, 2020 at 9:11 PMGreat tips! My cat is found! I went out at dusk and finally found her wandering around the neighborhood. Calling her and then listening for her response did the trick.
debra paks
March 29, 2020 at 12:30 AMWe miss Gemma deeply,, our hearts are broken and we can barely function without her here with us, She such a smart beautiful cat, she even plays fetch with us. oh dear lord I pray every day we will find her,, I have walked around at night looking everywhere,, but nothing,, I don’t know how much more I can take of her being gone,,
Chistine Mata
April 12, 2020 at 7:16 PMMy cat has been missing since March 20, 2020. She is a indoor cat. Her name is Nickie. I feel a hole in my heart and I can’t stop crying for her. I made flyers and put one in every mail box on my block and also at the block behind me. I go at night looking and calling her name . NOTHING What really gets me is how do I know how far and which way did she go. There is a lot of stray cats around and they’re always fighting with each other. My cat could be hurt somewhere, and it’s killing me not knowing. What makes all this worst was the rain and coldness of the nights. I just want my cat back. I’m so sorry for all who have a missing cat. My heart is with you!
Sandy
April 15, 2020 at 6:15 PMMy lovely ginger and white cat missing since 28 Dec 2019 – believed stolen as didn’t stray far from home. Looked everywhere and tried suggestions and listed on various ‘missing cat’ websites, Don’t know what else to do
Josh
April 22, 2020 at 7:36 PMMy cat is 17 years old in door cat and is blind what are some things i can do to find him?
Sandy
May 8, 2020 at 2:29 PMUse scent items like your dirty laundry and his pet bed outside but DON’T use his kitty litter. This is why not to use kitty litter:
https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-pet-behaviors/kitty-litter-myth/
Then it’s critical that you do active physical searches. Don’t rely on your cat to come to you! He’s probably hiding really well or might have been picked up by a neighbor or taken to the shelter. I would also recommend contacting Kim Freeman at https://www.lostcatfinder.com/ as she specializes in lost cats and can help you with her info or even a phone consult. Listen to her as she knows what she’s doing!
Tamara
July 4, 2020 at 5:47 PMMy cat “Puppy” has been missing for a month and 2 days and i am just sick over it. Thanks for all the suggestions! I hope she is ok!!!!
Tara
July 5, 2020 at 2:08 AMI hope everybody finds their list card. Right now there are insane fireworks right above my house & my cat has been missing since yesterday. Please if you don’t mind say a prayer for Darling Littlebird to find her way home. I miss her terribly. I bottle fed her since she was a baby kitten.
Thank you so much♥️
OLGA
July 10, 2020 at 3:14 AMWe lost our little angel, July 4th, still searching in a Hope we will find her. I stop crying already, its not helping. I’m lost, what to do ? in Canada we do not have a search cat, dogs services … I am lost as she is. But still hope… I hope she is ok, and she will come back soon. ..
Tonia Esquivel
July 13, 2020 at 7:48 PMMy kitty is missing but he’s not really a kitty – he’s a full grown cat..He’s white with gray markings and he’s 2 years old. I’ve never had this happen before and when it’s over I hope it never happens again. I feel like I’m being broken in two. His name is Chico. Please come home! I love you bunches!
Ralph BIrr
August 11, 2020 at 6:23 PMDon’t give up! My cat, Rexx, “ran away” for 5 weeks once. I was already over morning his death when I came home one night at about 11pm (my usual time, 2nd shift worker at the time) and out of the bushes he popped. I picked him up and noticed his fur was all thick and puffed out this was winter) and he felt real muscular. He also smelled real musty. I’m thinking he had survived outside the whole time. After I fed him, he jumped up on my lap and would not leave my side (when I was home) for several daysl The LOUD sound of his purring said it all. Don’t give up…and remember to check the animal shelter places.
Kim Holcomb
September 14, 2020 at 1:05 PMMy heart goes out to everyone missing a beloved kitty. Just to give you some hope, we live near woods, and our indoor-only (except when he gets out) cat Primo, white with green eyes, is on his second escape this summer, the third in a year. The first time our neighbors found him in their hedge. The last time he showed up 7 days later. We had posted him missing on NextDoor, the Humane Society, Craigslist, and social media, put up fliers with his photo, and went out looking for him every day and night. Then he just appeared in our garage, with a scratched nose but otherwise fine. We got a tracker to put on his collar (sort of useful, but you have to be in range to get a signal). Now he’s been out for 8 days, but someone who saw one of the giant posters I put up texted last night that he’d been spotted, about half a mile from our house. We went with food, his carrier, flashlight, and called and saw his eyes shining in the dark. The tracker showed that it was definitely him. We didn’t get him yet (he went farther into the brush), but at least we have an area and know he’s not stuck or hurt. The point it, keep trying! Your kitty might have wandered farther than you’d expect, or could be hiding really close to home.
.
September 15, 2020 at 4:38 PMMy cat ran away this morning into the woods. He never goes far and always responds to his food, but hasnt come back yet.
Vlad
October 5, 2020 at 5:58 PMGoing on day 29, I was going out looking for him at one in the morning for 15 days and haven’t seen any signs of other cats Besides one other I’ve seen, but not at night. I’ve posted on every lost pet page in my city, check the animal shelters daily, and posted missing flyers all over; haven’t gotten one message of anyone seeing him. I’m extremely worried for him and miss him so much, but I will keep searching until I find him whether dead or alive I just want him back home. If he comes home I will definitely be putting a GPS collar on him.
SHAWNA DUVALL
November 24, 2020 at 8:26 PMIam going through the same thing. Kitten has been missing since 10/25/2020 hes about 6 months old and at the moment I’m going through hard times and staying at a motel6 in Mojave. Iam so devastated that he got out and I am by myself it’s hard. And I dont want to give up cause I know hes scared and hiding . I want nothing more but for him to be safe and come back home.
SHAWNA DUVALL
November 24, 2020 at 8:28 PMHes grey with white on his chest and white on all4 paws looks like boots
Bill Moritz
December 3, 2020 at 6:30 PMMoved to a new house last week and the cats were the last to get there. Our two smallest ones’s Tiger and sister Ginger instantly hid while the rest explored. Some time on Friday Ginger got into the attached garage and when the door was opened somehow ran out rather than her normal instinct of in or behind something. It was not until later that we realized she was missing. She is very shy and skittish and bever has been a cat that would roam. This being a brand new home for her and the surroundings we are beside ourselves looking for her. flyers posts on social media and telling the neighbors we have all done. I am not giving up hope as I know she will need her brother as he is scared and hiding now as they were inseparable.
George
December 29, 2020 at 11:23 AMHuey was out for one whole day and night. Turned our lives upside down. Oh how we take him for granted.
Printed flyers and passed them around the neighborhood. Drove around and walked around looking.
We found him hiding in neighbor’s bushes.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Gwen Craig
April 29, 2021 at 9:13 AMThere is a non profit, No Kill Network. Give it a try. I was just told about this site. I hope it helps us all!. nokillnetwork.org
Nayla Wilmore
June 26, 2021 at 8:18 AMMy baby is declawed and on medication, she was last seen on my 3rd floor lanai, disappeared without a trace and she’s 10 years old and would most highly likely not jump from the balcony, mystified. and perplexed, scared and worried., how she could just disappear. Only been one day and still trying to stay positive. Prayers, love and light to all who are missing their fur babies right now!!
NW
July 9, 2021 at 10:50 PMWe found our missing cat using these tips. The biggest help was talking to all of our neighbors, including one we didn’t know, and asking them to check their yards. Our guy was in a neighbor’s yard, hiding under a very low deck. Apparently the neighbors dog had been acting like there was an animal under there and when we asked the neighbor to take a look he found our cat. Our cat was pretty scared and it took a while to get him out. I had a cat many years ago that I never found and it was so hard. I like to think that he adopted a new family. I am glad I was able to find my little guy this time and wish good luck to everyone looking.
Gieta
February 6, 2023 at 9:17 PMI will do the same . Thank you for this help . I will keep looking for him . Baby is my everything. And I miss him soomuch
April Ribas
March 6, 2023 at 10:27 PMIt’s heartbreaking reading a lot of these posts… I’m going on day 6 of my cat Pumpkin missing. I haven’t slept and have been posting everywhere and looking. I’ve never lost a pet like this before and I’m so worried…
Latoya Prettyman
July 27, 2023 at 5:52 PMTo the pawboost.com owner, You always provide valuable information.
Jessica S.
August 19, 2023 at 10:16 PMHi everyone– The advice on this site is good. My cat disappeared for two weeks. I finally found him after canvassing the neighborhood at night (late, as this site says!), calling for him, and heard his crying from inside a house– he had gotten trapped inside a house that was being sporadically renovated by an absentee landlord. It was right across the alley from our house, not 50 yards away. Don’t give up hope, follow the advice on this site!
Joyce Mullins
September 23, 2023 at 2:48 PMTy very much ,I had some poster made up of him & tend to put them out around the neighbor hood . Its a comuty in side of a not to big of place ,I feel he around here some were ,I fear some one has him lock in side there house he kinda scare of strange people ,he usally runs & hide when people he don’t know comes in Ty u for the tips . Hope to fine him .
Paul Skellon
October 1, 2023 at 3:36 PMThanks for these useful tips. Right now I am trying to keep my sadness in check…..I absolutely adore my little guy!!
Robert Hradek
October 14, 2023 at 11:23 AMI can’t thank you enough for this advice. The litter trick worked! Cat came back just a few hours after spreading it around.
Beth
October 14, 2023 at 10:36 PMMy cat Pooter has been missing for about a month. He is 13 years old and 10 pounds. We were on vacation and had a cat sitter staying at our house. The sitter lost him two hours after getting here. I am so devastated. We got back in town two weeks later and still can’t find him. We have food stations and trail cams out. We get other cats and raccoons. We distributed 150 flyers in the neighborhood. Taped them to light poles. Called and reported him to all the shelters and police department. Posted it on Nextdoor and Facebook. We had some one come over with a drone and look through out the neighborhood. No luck. He is micro chipped. Called the microchip company and no hits on his chip number. How do you keep going??
Robert J
November 19, 2023 at 3:24 PMAlso check out FaceBook for groups for lost pets in your area, that you can post a pic and information about your lost pet and you contact info.