Christina S.
3 years ago
Here are a ton of good tips to try taken from many sources:
Look VERY closely in the bushes, shrubs, weeds directly around your house. Many times they do not go far but can hide extremely well & will NOT come when called. Even to their owners. They get out, get very frightened & go into total stealth mode. Also look in neighbors garages, sheds, weeds & shrubs, etc. We had friends who's cat got out, did not come when called, they looked & looked in their yard & finally heard him sneeze & found him right beside the house in the flowers, shrubs, etc. They think he had been there the whole time which was, to the best of my recall, more than a week. It was really quite a long time.
Here is some info from helpinglostpets.com
INDOOR CAT Indoor-only cats are likely to be found very close to home; in fact, sometimes they are stuck or hiding INSIDE the home! They are most often found in or around the owner’s or an immediate neighbor’s home in the bushes, under the house, in a shed, under a deck, or some other hiding place. 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. We have counseled owners on many cases where they were calling and shaking the food bag right next to where the cat was hiding, but there was no response. Indoor cats are in danger of being labeled as feral in a shelter environment, because they are not socialized to other people and environments and will likely hiss, strike, and display other “wild” behavior when stressed. This is why it is critical to get them back in their homes as quickly as possible.
SHY CAT Shy cats will hide and avoid people for very long periods of time. We have experienced many cases where cats hid for days or even weeks and miraculously survived after being found. After days or weeks of searching, the owner may give up, believing their cat is dead when he is still hiding (or stuck) nearby and in need of medical attention.
OUTGOING CAT The outgoing cat may be vocal and approach people, even following them home. Because of this, he may travel away from his own home then become disoriented and unable to find his way back. Such outgoing cats are in danger of being taken in and kept by finders who mean well but assume the cat has been abandoned.
You can put out a piece of your worn clothing for your scent. check garages and local rescue sites. check shelters and take a flyer. you can also put out a sign in your yard with picture and contact information check with your local mail person and give them a flyer. if they like treats, go out after dark and sit down. talk like you would a phone call - they know your voice. they don't know what house is theirs like we do. anything with their scent, bed, toys, etc., will help them find their house.
Try a live trap - you can get one at your local shelter or tractor supply and rural king sells them. Make sure you know how to properly use it not to hurt kitty and use tuna or wet food. Put it close to a window so you can keep your eyes on it. if you have an open garage door put something with scent near cover the trap with towels to keep calm if caught and check every couple hours - don’t leave overnight unsupervised.
Cats rarely go far and are often found very close! Indoor only cats are found the closest to home! They hide very well, especially when scared!!! Cats are very active at dusk and dawn and tend to move around more at night. The most successful things you can do; 1-Walk your neighborhood, talk to people as you can. 2-Talk to your mail carrier they see lots of animals!!! 3-Post fliers in your area with contact information and your cat’s photo!!! 4-Call for him or her, they know your voice! 5-Put their food/water, litter box (**see notes below) and cat nip outside your house to draw him back as they can smell these a mile away. 6-Check nearby garages, especially under porches, decks, dense bushes, etc. They often wind up at your neighbors house!!! A strong flashlight will catch a cat's reflective eyes at night and save you tons of time! 7-Let your neighbors know your kitty got out and give them your contact info. 8-Post on Facebook about your missing cat. Many times cats are found within a couple hundred feet of their homes. Post fliers around your neighborhood with your phone number that people can call day or night. Call local animal shelters, etc…Run ads in local newspapers too! Try lost cat sites like Tabby Tracker, LostMyKitty.com, Sam The Parrot on Face Book, Lost Cats of whatever county you're in, etc...Cats can disappear for days, weeks, months and longer and return so don’t give up!!!! If someone took your cat call the police it's a 5th degree felony now here in Ohio to hurt an animal...Keep at it, keep us updated and please get the cat micro chipped and have a collar on at all times. Indoor cats escape all the time!!!
Go outside late at night or very early in the morning while everything is quiet. speak softly and gently and sit down. cats feel safest at night and you may have better luck then! Your cat may be hunkered down somewhere close.
Could your cat be in the house somewhere like a closet, drawer, box, in upholstered furniture, rafters, etc. and can’t get out? Small cats can hide in some unbelievable places.
**Many rescues and veterinarians recommend putting the litter box outside, but some posts and rescues will say not to.  Your clothing, your pet’s toys, etc., may have a better chance at bringing your pet home.
Here are some very good cat attracting tips. Many have had success with these.
http://www.ohioalleycat.org/lostcat/
https://petfbi.org/i-lost.../tips-to-lure-a-cat-back-home-2/
Post as lost and search found kitties on this page.
https://petfbi.org/
Post on Nextdoor. It’s specific to your area based off of your address.
https://nextdoor.com/
