Lexington, TN Lost Male Cat, Niko Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Andi S.

1 month ago

These are general search tips and not all may apply in your situation. Search at night w/ a flashlight (eyes will glow). Check up in trees and inside/under things in your yard and up to 4 - 5 houses away. Search garages, sheds, under decks and bushes, in crawl spaces, behind AC units - any place the cat might be trapped or hiding. Many cats go into hiding mode for safety and won't come when they hear their owner's voice but try calling and try either shaking a can/bag of treats or carrying an open (smelly) can of cat food or fish. Put something w/ the cat's scent on the porch (cat bed, scratching post, sofa pillows). Keep your garage door up enough to allow entry. Keep fresh bowls of water out. Put up large missing cat posters (neon poster board works well), talk to neighbors (leave info for those not home), post on all local social media groups and make sure to check with local animal control at least once a week (better to go in person but at least call and send them a photo). If not found at night with a flashlight, go out during early morning, before dawn, as many cats are active around that time. If not found in a few days, you can always buy a humane cat trap but traps *must* be checked multiple times each day, every day. If the cat is microchipped, please make sure the chip company has your updated contact information. And even if the cat has a chip, you still need to check with animal control as chips sometimes are overlooked or migrate down. Please search often and don't give up hope.

Lori O.

1 month ago

I'm so sorry about your baby.🥺💔 Most cats stay close to home so it is critical to stay as proactive, and persistent, as possible. ●Crack your garage door or leave a porch door open where they got out so it can get inside. Cats return at night when you're sleeping so you miss them. This also ensures if your cat was chased away, it can sneak back inside when it can. ●Check everywhere outside even in drain pipes and drains, in logs, under bushes and cars, up in trees and anywhere it's collar could get hung. Use a BRIGHT flashlight after dark as it will make your cat's eyes glow and very easy to spot through bushes or under things. Much easier than daytime searching when they are hunkered down and hiding in plain sight. They won’t respond to your call. They are scared even of you. ●Check under your house and your neighbor's houses, in sheds, garages, bats, etc. ●Indoor-only or new to the area lost cats tend to not recognize their owners outside because it is a different environment and they are scared. Sit outside every single day especially in the morning and at dusk/night so your cat can get used to you being there. ●Put food in a plastic container with a lid and periodically shake it and call your cat's name. ●Print flyers with their picture for neighbors and businesses in the area. ●Put picture posters in public areas, like on street signs and in your front yard, and offer some type of reward, if you can. ●Put the reward amount on the flyers and posters. A reward will incite people to intentionally be on the lookout for your cat or to return it to you. ●Work with a cat rescue to immediately set a cat trap or you can purchase one at Tractor Supply, Home Depot or on Amazon and set it yourself. You will need to monitor the trap(s) so cat isn’t left stuck inside and vulnerable to other animals. Put human tuna in the back of the trap so they will go in enough for door to close behind them. Cover trap with your dirty towels or sheets with your smell. ●Post on the Ring app, Nextdoor app and Pawboost and visit pet rescues/shelters in person regularly to see if someone has found your cat and/or has taken it to one. Give them a flyer and report your cat as missing. ●Consistently visit rescues and shelters. They only hold a cat 3 to 5 days without a microchip before putting it up for adoption, and only for 7 days with a microchip. Even if the cat has a microchip, the chip can float and be missed by the scanner. ●Set notification alerts for the Facebook lost and found pets groups in case someone has found your cat. - buy small cameras to put outside for $10-15. The camera will alert you when movement is spotted. Monitor especially between midnight and 5 am. (Sorry) - Consider a recording of your voice outside your home and also their and your smell….(bed) cats can smell up to a mile away. - Where cats get out of the house/car is where they go back too when trying to get back inside your home. Even where they escape out of a car. They go back to that spot. - Stay persistent or you won’t get your cat back. Persistence pays off. No one loves your cat like you do! Your cat needs you to find them and bring them back to you and your loving home!

Patti S.

1 month ago

Shared, place some of your worn clothing outside so he may detect your scent and find his way home ( change daily so the scent will be fresh). Also, check under brush or outbuildings if any is near where he could be hiding and check with neighbors in case he wandered into someone else's outbuildings or garage. Make flyers and also ask your mail carrier to keep an eye out. Good luck finding your fur baby.�

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