Irvine, CA Lost Male Cat, Grey Boy Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Alex S.

1 day ago

https://socalpetrecovery.com/

Lauren E.

5 days ago

I lost my kitty Nicholas at an Irvine apt complex 15 years ago. At that time I could find no information on how to find him. Luckily I found him three days later. I put these tips together to help others find their lost babies. TIPS TO FIND YOUR CAT: 1. Kitties usually stay close by their home, they hide in a bush or some small dark place and just sit and wait. Even if you call them, they may not come because they are freaked out and scared. 2. A cat's world is centered around scents. They will not be familiar with the outdoor scents because they have never been there before. To help them smell their way home, put things outside that smell like home, like you. A used towel, dirty shirt, dirty shoes. Leave the items out and sit with the door open as much as possible. If the kitty comes back in the door just remain calm and talk to the kitty normal until you can close the door behind him. 3. Do not put food out, you will attract other animals that may keep your cat away. You can walk around with smelly food or shaking treats, but don't leave it outside. 4. Walk around the neighborhood calling your kitty normally. Don't use a panicked voice, it will scare the kitty more. Best to only have people whose voice your kitty would normally come to. They will not come to a kind stranger helping you search. The kitty will catch your scent and hear your voice, and follow it back to your house. Most cats are within 200 cat yards. Which means if there is a fence, you couldn't get over, you would go around, but the cat could go right over. So keep that in mind when checking out 200 yards. 5. Pass out fliers to neighbors and talk to everyone, especially kids and dog walkers. It is a great idea to offer kids $20 if they find your cat and can tell you where he is. Kids love money and a challenge. 6. Check closed garages. Listen for meows when you call. 7. Use a flashlight under bushes and dark places, even during the day. The light will reflect off their eyes. This is how I found Nicholas, in a bush I walked by at least 20 times and didn't see him until I used the flashlight. 8. Sleep with the windows open, you may hear them crying at night. Lost kitties feel safest coming out late at night-early morning. 9. Check the shelter every day. 10. If your lost cat has a cat friend at home, take the cat or dog you have at home out in a secure carrier or on a leash and walk around with him or sit with him outside. Hopefully the other lost cat will hear and smell him. Dogs are good at finding lost cats. 11. Social Media - Facebook, Nextdoor, CraigsList, and PawBoost Lost & Found. 12. Vets have told me that indoor kitties that get lost are too scared to come out of hiding, even for food. It could be at least 10 days before your kitty gets hungry enough to come out of his safe hiding spot, so don't give up too soon. Once kitties do come out they will make a big circle around the area trying to find something that smells like home. So the more you walk out from your house and back, like a wagon wheel formation, the more your scent out there for kitty to follow when he gets brave. 13. If you have a garage, leave it cracked open, kitty may find his way back in. 14. Be careful of scammers. There are terrible people out there that pretend they have your cat but can never find time to meet up with you to return the cat. They are trying to make you frantic to give them money. 15. Check trees too, just found my cat 20 feet up a tree, couldn't get down. 16. Check inside, cabinets, closets, behind books. We have found cats sitting behind books on shelves, sleeping inside clothes in the closet, and in a hole in the wall behind a wall unit. 17. You can purchase a Havahart cat safe trap from Amazon. Watch the video on how to use it. Do not leave it unattended because you don’t want to try and release an angry raccoon. If you watch for a distance you can chase off wild critters. Have a plan if you catch another cat. This other cat may be keeping your cat away. So hopefully your shelter will take him. Maybe he is lost too and you saved him. Or maybe he is a stray and having a check up at the shelter will benefit him, and give your cat a chance to come home if this cat was keeping him away.

Kathy R.

6 days ago

Look in the storm drains

Kat Q.

6 days ago

📷 View photo on Facebook

Beatriz E.

7 days ago

Sharing ❤️

Cathy L.

7 days ago

Cats usually do not go far, especially indoor only cats (indoor/outdoor cats can travel a bit farther and unfixed cats do travel farther) they are probably scared and hiding nearby, not more than 2-4 houses away. Leave the door or window they escaped from open if possible, especially in the nighttime (around 2am - 4am) when it is quiet out. Cats are most active in the early morning and late at night. if you have a garage, leave the garage door open slightly... keep the lights low in and outside your house and keep things inside and outside your house very very quiet, so that it does not feel threatened by coming home. Some cats come home on their own, some you must search for, and some you must trap with a humane trap… Some cats who get out are so terrified they will revert to some feral behavior and hide even though their owner might be very close by and calling...... for these cats you have to trap them. Indoor only cats typically hide in SILENCE. You could be standing right next to them and calling and they will most likely not come out. They instinctively hide to protect against predators and aggressive cats. Your cat wants to come back, they are just scared and waiting for the right time. If you see your lost cat, do not chase or try to grab him. Sit down on the ground to make yourself smaller. Try to lure him closer to you with food. Keep your voice soft and don't make any sudden moves. He will be very anxious and may not recognize you right away. Be sure to let him smell you before you attempt to pet or pick up. If you decide to pick him up, be sure to hang on tight and don't let go no matter what! Go out and calmly call them/sit outside and speak softly, as they sense anxiety in your voice and will not respond. Look in and under sheds, garages, under decks, in bushes, up in trees, between fences, in window wells, nearby sewers and storm drains, under cars, Let your neighbors know and ask if they can check their property, sheds and garages or ask if they'll let you check. Look under anything with a tarp on it, pool covers, grill covers, furniture covers, in any kind of a hole or crevice, all the way under porches, all the way underneath sheds. If your neighbors have a security camera ask if they could check it. You can look for your cat at night with a flashlight as their eyes will glow in the light. Put a small shelter outside with some of your worn clothes in it so if they do come back, they will hopefully use that as a safe space. (Do NOT put litter outside as it attracts other animals that want to mark the territory) Scared cats hide in silence, just because you don't see or hear your cat does not mean they are not right there. Flyers must go up and you should call and visit in person nearby shelters and vet hospitals. Put flyers in mailboxes and up around the neighborhood too. Let the local vets know and even go to the shelter that takes in animals from your town. Leave a flyer with both. Also every town has a TNR where they feed feral and stray cats, find out where they are and check; a lot of cats were found at the feeding stations. There’s a site called LostMyKitty. They offer a service that does Amber alert phone calls to surrounding houses for a fee. If you decide to use this service, choose the free option first. Keep repeating everything and take all of the suggestions. I hope these tips help and you find your cat soon. Your cat wants to come home, keep the faith and don’t give up. It is such a difficult time when your pet is missing. There are pet tracker's out there. Some have searched dogs, some have drones. Put a small shelter outside with some of your worn clothes in it so if they do come back, they will hopefully use that as a safe space. (Do NOT put litter outside as it attracts other animals that want to mark the territory) Scared cats hide in silence, just because you don't see or hear your cat does not mean they are not right there. Flyers must go up and you should call and visit in person nearby shelters and vet hospitals. Put flyers in mailboxes and up around the neighborhood too. Let the local vets know and even go to the shelter that takes in animals from your town. Leave a flyer with both. Also every town has a TNR they feed feral and stray cats find out where they are and check; a lot of cats were found at the feeding stations. It is such a difficult time when your pet is missing. There are pet tracker's out there. Some have searched dogs, some have drones, but there are also plenty of scammers. You can potentially find trackers on Facebook. But do research to make sure they're legitimate. Good luck! And definitely contact a pet tracker Good luck and don't give up!

Joseph S.

7 days ago

If he’s wearing an Air Tag continue to check your iPhone’s Find My app to see his last updated location. Ask neighbors if he may be trapped in their garage or shed, and check on other nearby streets, especially in the evening with a flashlight, calling out to him and making a familiar sound. I hope he is found soon🙏🏻

Nayak S.

7 days ago

📷 View photo on Facebook

Stuart K.

7 days ago

flyers

Rosemary P.

1 week ago

It’s critical that you keep calling the Irvine animal shelter to see if anybody has dropped your cat off continuously. Also fax a flyer of him over there and call them and tell them you lost your cat.

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