Oakland, CA Lost Female Cat, Ziggy Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Tanika C.

2 months ago

Sandra Horace, thank you for sharing this. We do not have a live trap. I have reached out to see if anyone has one we can borrow. We have reached out to neighbors, have flyers around the neighborhood. Checked in with local shelters , pet stores, shops, churches. There is a small shed behind our building which we check regularly. No garage on property. We have only been able to look into one neighbor’s yard. I completely understand people’s reluctance to let us search their property. We have been putting out wet food and water at sunset. I was not aware it should not be left overnight. We have a doorbell camera. We continue to be diligent in our search. ❤️

Sandra H.

2 months ago

Lost Cat Recovery Checklist Immediate Actions ■ Start searching close to where she got out (cats usually hide nearby). ■ Check high & low hiding spots: under cars, porches/decks, shrubs, garages, sheds. ■ Ask neighbors to check open garages/sheds and closed spaces before shutting doors. Best Times to Search ■ Search during quiet/dark hours (best: 12am–7am, especially 1–6am). ■ Use a strong flashlight at night to spot eye reflection. Calling & Approaching ■ Call for her during still hours (overnight/early morning). ■ If you see her: stay calm and quiet (don’t chase). Scent Lures (Safe Options) ■ Put outside: her bed/blanket or your unwashed clothing/bedding. ■ Place scent items near the trap and/or leading toward the door. ■ Do NOT place a litter box outside (can attract predators such as coyotes). Food / Feeding Station ■ Set up a feeding station and feed during the day only. ■ Do NOT leave food out overnight (attracts wildlife & scares cats off). Humane Trap (Highly Recommended) ■ Get a live/humane trap ASAP. ■ Use food only inside the trap (don’t leave food elsewhere). ■ Cover trap with a tarp/blanket for safety and comfort. ■ Check trap frequently—never leave it unattended overnight. ■ In harsh weather: check every 30 minutes. Outreach (Very Important) ■ Post flyers around the neighborhood with phone number (day/night contact). ■ Bring flyers to local vets, shelters (go in person every few days if possible), and pet stores. ■ Tell your mail carrier (they notice roaming pets). ■ Ask known stray feeders/rescuers if they’ve seen her. Mindset ■ Keep checking at different times daily. ■ Don’t give up—cats can be found weeks or months later

HappyCatLady .

2 months ago

Tanika Crawford Did kitty escape from the front or back? Do you have a camera aimed at wet food (placed 2 hours before each sunset)? Happy to talk over the phone 650-339-6619

HappyCatLady .

2 months ago

💖🐱I'm so sorry you haven't found your sweet kitty YET. RIGHT NOW it’s still early and quiet - Go out the 'escape' door again - and CALL For kitty in a calm NORMAL voice(no stress in your voice) Keep calling CALMLY. If kitty escaped from the front and you have a garage spend time there if possible TONIGHT , talk on the phone, work on laptop (do normal stuff). At sunset, place wet food (+ your dirty laundry at the opening of garage) THEN place kitty’s bedding WAY inside away from the food (food= predators, bed = safety so must be separate areas) IMPORTANT: GET that mini blink wifi camera ($29) aimed at the WET FOOD BOWL by tonight (call Target near you to make sure in stock if not amazon overnight: https://a.co/d/0hh9yPph) Repeat calling kitty LATE TONIGHT and spread the news to your neighbors door to door flyering during the day 🙏 💖🐱Dear guardian...sending this message with only LOVE in my heart...please do not rely on folks seeing this post online from your neighborhood or actual block - You must let your neighbors know kitty is missing with FLYERS and the best way is going door to door talking to your neighbors whoever is home and leaving a FLYER with those who are not home (TAPE A FLYER DIRECTLY ONTO THE FRONT DOOR using painter’s tape / won’t harm).! Even if a neighbor sees kitty outside they will assume kitty is indoor/outdoor and ok - not lost or missing - unless they are notified! ONLINE posts only gets to those actively looking at lost/found pets which is very limited. The exact neighbors you want to reach are right there near you - if you haven't gone door to door with flyers and posted up flyers on every street corner and mid street - I would highly suggest doing this TODAY. Also, in case KITTY is stuck/trapped you want the flyers to ask folks to check crawl spaces under homes, storage units, bats etc.. (Templates found on www.happycatlady.com) The point is to cover ALL Possibilities. https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-cat-behavior/ 🐱 Lost cat 'PRETO'- was found 1 week later - trapped in a garage, inside a HOLE going under the garage. His guardians each night would walk around very slowly calling for him in a CALM, NORMAL voice. They crinkled his treat bag and kept calling calmly. He finally meowed after 7 nights - after the 400th call!!! 🐱 LOST cat ‘Squirrel’ was found on night 13 hiding disorientated inside the front stair deck of a neighbor’s home. The guardians had shined a flashlight there every night and this time ‘Squirrel’ was there! He did not meow when his guardian’s called… 🐱Lost cat ‘Hugo’ indoor/outdoor was found 2 backyards away after 3 weeks at midnight, with an injured paw that prevented him from jumping over fences 🐱Lost cat ‘Blue’’ was spotted by a neighbor who I had spoken to in person and given a flyer lost 3 weeks. We then set a humane trap and did a stake out ; he was trapped after waiting 4 hours staring at the trap! Best night ever! 💜Cover all possibilities; FLYER Door to door, talk to your neighbors. Post up flyers, Search and call for kitty at night in a calm voice..Stay strong. Don’t give up! 🐱💜🙏 🐱 Leave a way back inside (porch light off) 🐱RING CAMERAS: ASK NEIGHBORS to check their security CAMERA and if they can add a ‘RING’ missing cat alert 🐱 BUY A WIFI CAMERA AND AIM it to the WET food you leave by the escape point - so you will receive MOVEMENT notifications and video clips sent to your phone(adjust settings) so you can SEE who eats the food. if your cat is seen eating late night and hiding from you then the next step is to humanely trap your cat.. IN SO Many cases we would have NEVER known lost kitty was right there hiding without using a camera. Cats in survival mode WILL HIDE from all humans - even the human/s kitty loves - because once in a new environment or spooked - they go into survival mode - in order to protect from perceived predators). If you spot kitty on camera eating the WET food you’re putting out nightly (but kitty is not coming to your calls) THEN you will need to RENT/BORROW a HUMANE TRAP 💥💥BEFORE TRAPPING: MUST-WATCH HOW-TO VIDEOS 1. Trapper Tips and Tricks! Presented by Neighborhood Cats : https://youtu.be/DtXyrD6w0bk 2.Trappers Tips & Tricks Presented by Neighborhood Cats and the Community Cats Podcast : https://youtu.be/aL6kSPjrBbQ 🐱We were able to trap a lost cat that got outside of the cat sitters house. The guardian was convinced the cat was GONE. I said NO, the cat is scared and HIDING NEAR - he was finally caught on a camera aimed at the wet food bowl on night 9 and then it took a few nights to trap the cat. 🐱Lost cat Apollo was spotted on a neighbor's RING camera after being lost for over a month - they had received a flyer! You must Replace flyers and talk to neighbors again. And Continue to leave wet food and water out at sunset with a camera aimed at the wet food. Apollo was caught on camera hiding in a crawlspace and coming out to eat at 2am ! We then placed a TRAP next to the wet food to get him used to the trap being there (Apollo is super skittish so baby steps were taken to trap) . The next night we placed a bowl of wet food partially inside the trap (with the trap NOT set) just to get kitty used to going inside the trap without the door shutting. The camera revealed the time Apollo would eat...the owner was SHOCKED he was in his neighbors crawlspace several weeks and would not meow when he called for him. Yes, Sometimes cats will just continue to hide in complete survival mode so the only way to get them is to trap them and in order to do this - the best thing is to get kitty eating at a certain time first so then you can actively set a trap when you're ready to do a STAKEOUT for several hours, watching the set trap from a distance every minute it’s set - making sure no other animal gets near. 🐱 Print MORE flyers to post on both sides of every lampposts and distribute door to door to every single residence around your block and 1 block out in all directions from you to at the very least. Then expand out 1 block at a time. You can do this! Sending you LOVE, HOPE and unwavering determination… damia 💥💥 CAMERA: Mini Blink WIFI camera $29 : https://a.co/ihc7BSy OR WIRELESS/ waterproof Blink camera : https://a.co/d/0hh9yPph REUNITED LOST CAT EXAMPLES (and why you must cover all possibilities!) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m6gjYB1cx_girwYJ_3cx8K_4-WIVKGsq/view?usp=sharing

📷 View photo on Facebook

Tanika C.

2 months ago

D Skyler Collett, we are walking the neighborhood nightly at peak kitty movement times. I think bringing her brother will be the next step. He stresses out so it will have to be a short trip. Will keep everyone updated!

D S.

2 months ago

Thats terrific that you are hand delivering flyers. You can always ask neighbors to check their bats/garages. And, even if you don't go in, you can call your cat's name - and listen carefully for a response. If your cat is scared, might they be hiding? Walk the neighborhood regularly, and if their sibling is vocal, you could bring him/her along in a carrier, and maybe just maybe the siblings calls might draw your kitty out. Please update as time goes on. Wishing you all the best.

Tanika C.

2 months ago

Anna Rose Oliver , Thank you for sharing the story! ❤️

Tanika C.

2 months ago

D Skyler Collett. We have been regularly checking around the neighborhood once the sun sets. No one is willing to let us check their property but they take the flyers. I am hoping they keep an eye out for her. Thank you for your advice. We hope to get her back soon.

Lori W.

2 months ago

Prayers for A Safe Return 🙏

HappyCatLady .

2 months ago

🐯 RIGHT NOW - It's still EARY and QUIET. Go out the 'escape' door and CALL For kitty in a calm NORMAL voice (no stress in your voice) Try calling sweetly and calmly over and over near the escape point. **** REPEAT TONIGHT 🐯Be patient..it can take some time find a scared lost cat. Even confident cats - IF SPOOKED by something - will go into survival mode of hiding from ALL humans. You must continue taking action in person. 🐯Get a camera aimed at wet food before sunset tonight (and ongoing) near the escape point ...Once spotted on camera going to the food, THEN you can plan to trap your baby ... if kitty is not returning for the food then kitty could be hiding or stuck at a neighbors - FLYER DOOR TO DOOR and talk to your neighbors ASAP🙏💜🙏💜 Mini Blink camera : https://a.co/d/00x4Gs9H Blink wireless: https://a.co/d/6LnRHNM —-- 💖🙏Dear guardian, please do not depend on ONLINE as the main way of finding kitty -- you want to cover all possibilities. In person searching and flyering and talking to neighbors and aiming camera at wet food by escape point consistently - is KEY💖🙏 💖🙏Your KITTY will remain VERY NEAR 💖🙏 Just because you don’t see or hear kitty does NOT mean kitty is not VERY near…I am emphasizing this so you don't go searching 10 blocks away or get mislead by any false sightings - without a photo to prove it’s your kitty. 🐯Continue calling kitty CALMLY in your NORMAL voice early mornings and at night. Call as you walk around your street ...listen closely for meows in garages (if kitty got out from the front).Calmly call for kitty as you walk back the entire time - you don’t want kitty to follow your voice AWAY from home. 🐯 Cats can sense stress in your voice and will hide if they sense it. Some scared cats will continue to hide and come forward when no one is around - to get to the WET food you you put bowls by kitty’s escape point. If kitty got out from the back then leave food and water by escape door left open 4” and talk to your neighbors to gain access to their yards. If kitty got out from front street and you have a garage, leave garage door open 4" with food and water just inside and kitty’s bedding way deep inside the garage - FAR AWAY FROM the food (food = predators, bedding = safety) AIM a WIFI camera at the food to receive movement notifications in case kitty comes to the food LATE NIGHT but then leaves again...then you WILL HAVE TO USE A HUMANE TRAP to trap kitty...rent or borrow a trap and watch youtube videos on how to successfully trap your cat🙏 🐯 INDOOR cats will remain VERY NEAR TO escape point in a hiding spot in SILENCE and may come forward during the day though most come forward after dark until morning(when it’s quiet). MOST indoor cats are found within 1-5 houses away! - many times kitty is hiding within the property, under the porch, in storage area. Scared cats are the stealthiest of hiders...this Is how they survive - Be patient and continue taking action. 🐯🐯Lost cat 'Tazzy' was found under the guardian's own house after 3 weeks! He has fully recovered at home thank goodness - he was hiding in silence but they spotted the reflection of his eyes using a flashlight at night! 🐯 INDOOR + INDOOR/OUTDOOR cats are typically found (hiding or stuck) within a block - depending on their ‘territory’. Lost cat 'HUGO" was found 2 backyards away disoriented after 7 nights ...his guardian Ann was losing hope calling for him late night and early morning and on night 7 at 11pm he meowed back!! This is why it's important to be consistent in searching and calling for Kitty in all the different ways ...in person...Flyering...checking Ring cameras...placing a camera in front of food and water you in case kitty is stuck and gets released on his own (example shed or garage door is opened releasing kitty)) Every cat is different. Be patience + determined 🐯And UNLESS your kitty is SUPER FRIENDLY to TOTAL strangers, the likelihood of kitty getting picked up and brought to animal care & control is just not reality ..at least not for a long while (though check online daily and in person once a week to cover all possibilities..shy or skittish cats often have to be humanely trapped. Happy to talk to you about that. 💥FLYERS WORK!!💥 Print 150+ ASAP 🐯PRINT OUT A GOOGLE MAP OF YOUR BLOCK with the address #s showing and take notes as you go DOOR TO DOOR telling your neighbors about your missing kitty. Take notes which residences you speak to and those NOT home so you can try back later. Return to those addresses if no one is home. The neighbors that aren’t home now COULD have a laundry room or storage that they closed just before leaving town - and your kitty got closed inside! 🐯POST UP FLYERS on both sides of LAMP POSTS - all around your block and and across the street to start . Place FLYERS inside a ‘CLEAR SHEET PROTECTOR’ with the opening facing down - so the flyers don’t get ruined by weather. Buy ALOT of packing tape, blue painter’s tape and bright color DUCT tape in case the packing tape doesn’t stick (wet poles) If the lampposts on your block are wood ( not metal), then use a STAPLE GUN. 🐯 PRINT MINIFLYER (or use full page flyers) to go door to door and knock on doors - if no answer then TAPE the flyer directly onto the front door (Using painter's tape - won't harm) or if no access after ringing doors then tape directly on the side of mailbox so it can't be missed. Keep track each residence you talk to and those not home so you can try to talk to them later - your cat could be in their crawl space not meowing so this is why I try to talk to everyone within 1-2 blocks working outward 🐯 ASK NEIGHBORS to check RING CAMERA and add a missing cat alert! TALKING to neighbors will get them to check garages, sheds, crawl spaces anywhere kitty could be hiding or stuck . Tell them kitty is in survival mode and if they spot kitty - TAKE A PHOTO and CALL and not approach kitty. For those not home, use that blue painters tape to adhere a FLYER ( top and bottom) directly on their front door (won't damage) or folded and taped next to their mail boxes. 🐯PRINT FLYERS at a FEDEX print stores (submit the order online for pick up or just go there) You can buy those “clear sheet protectors”, painters tape (for taping to front doors) and clear packing tape and Duct too! 🐯Sometimes you must check the same location more than ONCE!...SEE example from guardian who checked 3 times, same yard and finally found her kitty! ...https://drive.google.com/file/d/10I_aHnjJ9rX6rYbGi6v7AWUTJVqggIxD/view?usp=sharing 🐯APARTMENT BUILDINGS: KNOCK + Ring on bells and talk to folks and/or at least get inside so you can leave a flyer in front of each door or tape a FLYER to every front door (use painter’s tape) If you cannot get inside a building then tape 1 flyer per mailbox directly onto the top and bottom of EACH mail box to ensure everyone is informed! 🐯Cover all possibilities. Spreading the word IN PERSON Ask neighbors in person and on flyers to take a photo if they think they see your kitty instead of approaching Talking to neighbors dramatically increases the chances of your cat being spotted or discovered stuck. 🐯MAILBOXES EXAMPLE _ FLYERING https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pQTHFCYD-D1Txo0u8cCbqjxYN4s8eOaL/view?usp=sharing 🐯DON’T GIVE UP! Every day I get texts from cat guardians who found their cat stuck in a shed, under a neighbor’s garage, on a roof, inside a storage space etc…or that a neighbor heard a meow in their yard AT NIGHT. Every cat reacts differently. Getting the eyes of your neighbors is KEY. 🐯 Make sure kitty's microchip is current. 💖🙏 damia GRAPHIC - Flyering Door to door: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6QyxSovMhvt9DizYVi4TJdFZ5wKJUpe/view?usp=sharing