Karla S.
2 years ago
If your missing cat is indoor only, it’s most likely not out walking around. It’s likely scared & hiding close by. Look under things around the outside of your house and your close neighbors with a flashlight, places like under porches, bushes, abandoned buildings, decks, sheds, anywhere a cat might hide near your house. If your cat is indoor only, they may see everything & everyone as a potential predator, so it can be normal for them not to respond to you or come to you. Try going outside in the middle of the night & talking to your cat in your normal voice, & listen for them to respond. Don’t shake treats, don’t call for them, just talk to them in your normal voice. Listen to see if you hear them. If you can’t find its hiding place, set up a humane box trap right underneath the window or next to the door your cat escaped the house through. Set it up & bait it with cat food at dark, leave lights off, be quiet inside the house, & wait until first light to check it in the morning. You can also use baby monitors to be able to listen if the trap goes off during the night. Indoor only cats usually return to the exact spot where they got out during the night when it’s dark and quiet. You can buy a humane trap at Tractor Supply or most sporting goods & hardware stores also usually sell them. If you have outside security cameras, check the night footage. Until you get a trap, set a dish of your cat’s food right next to the door or under the window your cat escaped through, every night at dark. Once you get a trap, only set food inside it. You can place a piece of your worn clothing near the trap or food until you get the trap. I do not recommend setting the used litter box outside because it can attract predators & other cats, which can prevent your cat from returning. If you have a garage, you can try leaving the door open enough that the cat could fit underneath or through the door & go in there. Make fliers & put one in the front door of your neighbors so they know to call you if they see your cat. A humane trap set under the window my cat escaped through was the only way I caught my indoor cat after 5 days. Also, check out the Lost Cat Finder Facebook page for tips on finding a lost cat. She has lots of good information. Good luck!
