Tullahoma, TN Lost Male Cat, Yoshi Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Annie L.

2 months ago

I'm so sorry about your son's cat.🥺💔 Most cats stay close to home so it is critical to stay as proactive, and persistent, as possible. Crack your garage door or leave a porch door open so it can get inside. Cats return at night when you're sleeping so you miss them. This also ensures if your cat was chased away, it can sneak back inside when it can. Check everywhere outside even in drain pipes and drains, in logs, under bushes and cars, up in trees and anywhere it's collar could get hung. Use a flashlight after dark as it will make your cat's eyes glow. Check under your house and your neighbor's houses, in sheds, garages, bats, etc. (Indoor-only or new to the area lost cats tend to not recognize their owners outside because it is a different environment and they are scared. Sit outside every single day especially in the morning and at dusk/night so your cat can get used to you being there.) Put food in a plastic container with a lid and periodically shake it and call your cat's name. Print flyers for neighbors and businesses in the area. Put posters in public areas, like on street signs and in your front yard, and offer some type of reward, if you can. Put the reward amount on the flyers and posters. A reward will incite people to intentionally be on the lookout for your cat or to return it to you. Work with a cat rescue to immediately set a cat trap or you can purchase one at Tractor Supply, Home Depot or on Amazon and set it yourself. You will need to monitor the trap(s). Re-check everywhere inside including up in box spring mattresses, back in sofa beds, in air vents, under jacuzzi tubs, in drawers, etc. Also post on the Ring app, Nextdoor app and Pawboost and visit pet rescues/shelters in person regularly to see if someone has found your cat and has taken it to one. Give them a flyer and report your cat as missing. Rescues and shelters only hold a cat 3 to 5 days before putting it up for adoption, especially if it doesn't have a microchip. Even if it does have a microchip, the chip can float and be missed by the scanner. That's why it's critical to consistently visit them. Set notification alerts for the Facebook lost and found pets groups in case someone has found your cat. Please read this article for both indoor-only and outdoor-access lost cats: https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-cat-behavior/

Andi S.

2 months ago

These are general search tips and not all may apply in your situation. Search at night w/ a flashlight (eyes will glow). Check up in trees and inside/under things in your yard and up to 4 - 5 houses away. Search garages, sheds, under decks and bushes, in crawl spaces, behind AC units - any place the cat might be trapped or hiding. Many cats go into hiding mode for safety and won't come when they hear their owner's voice but try calling and try either shaking a can/bag of treats or carrying an open (smelly) can of cat food or fish. Put something w/ the cat's scent on the porch (cat bed, scratching post, sofa pillows). Keep your garage door up enough to allow entry. Keep fresh bowls of water out. Put up large missing cat posters (neon poster board works well), talk to neighbors (leave info for those not home), post on all local social media groups and make sure to check with local animal control at least once a week (better to go in person but at least call and send them a photo). If not found at night with a flashlight, go out during early morning, before dawn, as many cats are active around that time. If not found in a few days, you can always buy a humane cat trap but traps *must* be checked multiple times each day, every day. If the cat is microchipped, please make sure the chip company has your updated contact information. And even if the cat has a chip, you still need to check with animal control as chips sometimes are overlooked or migrate down. Please search often and don't give up hope.

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