Irvine, CA Lost Female Cat, Chamy Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Lauren E.

5 months 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, the kitties bedding. 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.

Bonita S.

5 months ago

Please report your kitty as lost to Irvine Animal Shelter in case someone turns him into them. Also post him on Nextdoor and Ring. Indoor cats are usually close to home within 3 houses away. After checking all possible hiding places in your home, hang clothes with your scent out. Scent only - no food or litter box. Ask your nearby neighbors to look in their yards, bushes, garages and outdoor cameras to see if he is there. Post fliers with the cat’s pic and your contact information on it around the area he is missing so if he is spotted, the person can tell you his location. Keep an access point open for him to slip back in your home. Look in bushes or hiding spots around your home as if this cat is unfamiliar with being outdoors, he is most probably scared of all the new sounds and smells and will make himself safe by finding a hiding spot. Sometimes the best time to find your cat is when the noise level is low - after hours - or early morning hours. Take a flashlight and look for the shining eyes. I also recommend playing a YouTube video on your phone of meowing cats turned up full blast right outside of your home, as cats are drawn to hearing other cats nearby. Please let me know if you’d like to borrow a humane cat trap, time is of the essence!🙏🏻❤️🐾

Beatriz E.

5 months ago

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Kimm L.

5 months ago

Most indoor cats will stay very close to home, but they will go into hiding because they go into survival mode, especially during the day. If it’s at all possible for you to put some recently worn clothing, bedding, a cat tree, if your cat has one near a open door window or garage where the cat will have access to return home, they usually will do it between midnight and 3 AM in the morning. Do not put a litter box out because that will attract other predators such as coyotes, raccoons, skunks, etc. At night time, you can also take a flashlight looking under cars in trees and bushes Taking with you a bag of treats if your cat is treat motivated, calling its name softly staying low to the ground, shaking the bag and using the flashlight to possibly light up your cats eyes. Sometimes they can stay in hiding for days so don’t give up. Hope these tips help and that you’re beautiful. Cat returns home safely and soon🙏🐈‍⬛❤️ don’t give up sometimes they can stay in hiding for over a week until they get really hungry, especially when a lot of commotion is going on during the daytime

Ruth O.

5 months ago

Lost Cats‼️ Indoor only cats and limited outdoor access cats never go far. They go into survival mode and hide in silence. Most of them will not respond when they are in survival mode. 3 AM is the best time to find a missing indoor only cat. This is the time they become most active and responsive. Sit and quietly call for your kitty. Try to stay low, standing is intimidating to cats. Place some dirty socks and pillow cases outside. Your scent will attract your kitty. If you have a garage, place the items near the garage door and crack the door enough for her to get in. DO NOT leave food or litter box outside, it can attract predators and aggressive Tom cats. Because indoor only cats hide so well they are not as likely to be ed by a predator. Don't give up, it can me n take months to find a missing indoor only cat. Use a flashlight as late at night as you can to look in trees, under cars and in bushes. Try to look for the glow of her eyes. The best chance of you being reunited with your cat is to do a methodical search of the area. Most indoor only cats will be within 160 feet of your home. Survival mode lasts 5 to 14 days but can last longer. Once their hunger gets to a maximum theyqq snap out of it but this is a dangerous time because they come out of hiding. The majority of cats will try to make a break for home on the 5th night. In addition to posted flyers, make mini flyers and hand them out to your neighbors. Some people don't pay attention to posted flyers. It's VERY VERY important that you look for her as late at night as you can. If you have other cats, watch them. If they are spending a lot of time looking out a certain window, that’s a good indication the missing cat is in that area. Wildlife and motion activated cameras are also helpful. a lot of people are successful trapping their indoor only cats. If you decide to trap, you must watch the trap closely, predators can a cat in a trap.

Ines D.

5 months ago

Searching for her is the fastest way to get her back: 🐾 Sad seeing so many kitties go missing just this week. Poor baby, she must be so scared and hungry out on her own. 🐈 When a cat goes missing, they can’t easily find their way home using only their scent. You must be proactive and look for them. 🔍Look under cars, bushes & hedges, look for glowing eyes w/flashlight, call her name at dusk when it’s quiet and they come out from hiding to eat. Posting is important, but please search for her, too. They don’t go far 3-4 houses away, they stay in one place until they are scared off by dogs, coyotes, or loud equipment. The challenge is to find her before she gets any further away. 📣Please hang flyers near the area where she went missing, it’ll get the immediate attention from pedestrians, drivers and your neighbors will know you’re looking for her. 🐈‍⬛ YOU’RE the one that can bring her home safely, she will recognize your voice and your scent. Post on ND, check local Humane Society Lost & Found daily. If you’re able to find her, PLEASE, please don’t let her out unattended. Cats have the intelligence of a 3yo, they don’t know the dangers, they face outdoors with coyotes, dogs, cars, and worst of all evil people who don’t like them in their yard. It only takes an hour to train a cat on a leash, then he can be outdoors safely with you. Good luck finding this gorgeous girl 🐾💜🐾

Suzan R.

5 months ago

General Information: Hang clothes with your scent on it (Worn clothing from owner) high up outside so the familiar scent can travel and guide the cat back home. Ask your neighbors to check their yard/could be accidently stuck in their garage or shed. (If applicable) Check doorbell or home camera - or ask neighbors to check their camera. Post Fliers with a picture of the cat and your contact information in the area the cat went missing. Not everyone is on Social Media and posters have worked in that if spotted a location can be provided. If a cat is scared they make themselves safe by finding a good hiding spot and often times hide in silence. Look in bushes - bring a flashlight and look for shining eyes. Best time to find your cat is in the early morning hours when the noise level is low and they feel safe. Leave an access point open for the cat to return. This is important if they do come back in the middle of the night. Prayers your cat returns/ or is found safely. Beware of scammers.

Rosemary P.

5 months ago

Keep checking with the Irvine animal shelter. Be sure you call him. Describe your cat and fax a flyer over there.

Rosemary P.

5 months ago

Urgent please do these things It is critical that you get flyers up today everywhere on all Lamposts and stop sign signs for Miles and Miles. This will save your cat’s life. Several people have said that because they put up flyers someone saw their cat roaming and called them. The only tape that keeps these flyers up is duct tape. Please get the tape today and make hundreds of flyers. In addition, please check all your neighbors backyards. Often cats will jump in their neighbors backyards. Knock on everybody’s doors ask them if they’ve seen your cat or if you can check their backyard if they are not home please go back and check. In addition it’s critical that you call your animal shelter and report your cat lost. Someone may drop it off there or may call the shelter and say there’s a cat roaming. Please do this today and fax a flyer of your cat. Please check all bushes trees in any hiding places. Also post on all lost pet sites and nextdoor.com your neighborhood watch. Keep posting every day. Keep checking Pawboost to make sure that someone has not posted your cat. Check every day. At night get out with a flashlight call your cat name. Shake treats look everywhere. Walk around for blocks and see if you see your cat and someone’s yard. Cats can roam a few blocks away. Someone reported their cat was a few blocks away in someone’s yard, and someone saw their flyer up and called them. They got their cat back. I pray you get your baby back as soon as possible.

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