HappyCatLady .
2 years ago
🐱💜Dear Guardian....Please know you can find your sweet kitty by taking action to cover ALL possibilities, whether your kitty is HIDING or STUCK nearby and needs your help to get home. #1 mistake is Waiting to take action. Glad you posted. Taking ACTION TODAY IN PERSON IS CRITICAL; Here is exactly what to do 🙏🙏
🐱 INDOOR-ONLY Cats that are not used to being outside or are indoor/outdoor but get spooked by someone or something - will find the 1st place to hide and HUNKER DOWN in SILENCE - They tend to remain VERY NEAR, typically within 1-3 residences and many times right next door - HIDINGin silence. Cats that are scared and in foreign environment will often NOT meow/ respond to calls even from their human (at first) ...though Kitty still needs to HEAR you and keep hearing you (until kitty THINKS it’s safe to come forward) - so do NOT stop calling out... Kitty is in survival mode and meowing would give away the hiding spot to predators. Outside is strange for indoor cat..with wind & loud noises.. Be patient...Don't give up! Kitty is out there.
🐱 INDOOR/OUTDOOR cats often get stuck in garages …crawlspaces etc - post flyers 2 blocks out in all directions though Be sure to Focus on your immediate block 1st! Most Indoor/outdoor cats are found wtihin the block - though keep open to the possibility 1-2 blocks out in some cases.
💥 IMPORTANT 💥 CALL for kitty consistently throughout the day and ESPECIALLY TONIGHT from 9 PM until 6AM (when it’s quiet, dark and cats feel ‘safer’ to move out of hiding) Set your alarm for 11pm 1AM, 3AM, 5AM....go out and call for kitty in your NORMAL, CALM voice & wait...shake treats (if that is something kitty normally responds to) I can’t tell you how many kitties come out of hiding during these late hours…(or you can hear meows if trapped in your next door neighbors garage or backyard for example).
🐱 LEAVE A WAY BACK INSIDE 24/7 in case kitty sneaks back inside when it’s dark and quiet. Leave the ‘escape’ DOOR/WINDOW edged OPEN 5” with bedding , wet food and water.. If escaped from the front (and you have a garage) leave garage door open 5" with litter box and food/water inside - on opposite sides.
🐱 GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR NEIGHBORS YARDS: Knock on your neighbors doors and Get permission for YOU to check their yards physically day and evening...explain to them how kitty will hide from strangers and it's best for you to check anywhere kitty could be hiding (they are excellent silent hiders)
💜🙏 NOTE: people often will see a cat outside and just think kitty is an indoor/outdoor cat and won't do anything unless they know your cat is missing! This is why you must go door to door and distribute flyers
🐱IMPORTANT: A majority of your neighbors are NOT on Facebook or Nextdoor seeing this post, This is why you MUST go door to door with FLYERS, asking your neighbors to keep an eye out for kitty. Be meticulous - Take notes on a google map printout of which address #s didn’t answer the door and GO BACK later and try again;
🐱ASK your neighbors to check their Garages, sheds, storage units/areas, crawl spaces , under porches… especially at night with a flashlight to catch kitty’s EYE reflection. Kitty could be stuck / trapped (this happens all the time!) and talking to your neighbors will help engage them into helping keep vigilant.
🐱 KNOCK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS DOORS, starting with the first 10 residences/buildings in ALL directions from where you are.
🐱ASK YOUR NEIGHBORS to check their RING CAMERA and if they can help add a missing cat alert in your neighborhood! Try to talk to everyone in person to check their garages...crawl spaces..storage areas
🐱💜 PRINT 100 FLYERS TODAY to give your neighbors door to door AND to POST UP on lampposts (both sides) in your neighborhood, concentrating around your block and expanding out 1 block out. POST UP FLYERS on streetlamps (place inside a clear protective sheet cover - with the open flap facing down so the weather doesn’t ruin them. You can google: “ poly sheet protector” or purchase on amazon or at FEDEX store near you where you can send your print order online for pick up even if they’re closed. Call them once open and ask if they can PRINT right away due to the urgency. fedex staff will always will print quickly. NOTE: They sell the sheet protectors & tape. Get lots of tape.
You can Download a flyer ‘template’ on www.happycatlady.com Offer a reward for anyone who sends you a PHOTO of kitty to encourage neighbors to search their residence If you cat is shy at all with strangers, instruct on the flyer for them to not approach kitty but to call ASAP instead.
💜 ONLINE: 💜(helpful but don't rely on this alone - in person searching and knocking on doors in case someone took kitty inside)
🐱 Post on www.Nextdoor com under ‘lost & found’ and ‘cat owners’ group. with your exact address (or address range like 1000-1050 3rd street cross street Cherry ave for example)
1. NEXTDOOR INVITE: https://nextdoor.com/invite/tlpjrfjfsfzzypgctspp
2. INVITE LINK TO NEXTDOOR ‘CAT OWNERS GROUP:https://nextdoor.com/g/qazvu50sq/
🐱Report to Animal Care & control - your local animal shelter’s
And Check for FOUND cats online daily on their website/s and CHECKIN PERSON EVERY 4 days
For San Francisco, email your Lost cat flyer to SFACC sfacc.frontdesk@sfgov.org .
Check for found cats: SFACC https://www.sfanimalcare.org/stray-found-cats/
🐱Report kitty is lost on 24petconnect.com Check for FOUND cats daily.
💥 IMPORTANT 💥 PLACE A CAMERA *.I can loan you(motion activated with night vision) facing out the escape door with food and watch footage daily - you can't believe how many times a cat will return home - eat - has no way of getting back inside (or just WILL NOT go back inside - is in survival mode) and the owners stops going out at night so the cat disappears back into the night...you may see other cats, raccoons and other creatures eat the food..that's ok...replace the WET food only (raccoons LOVE dry cat food so wet is better) you can buy motion sensor camera on amazon over night - connect to wifi...OR a wild life camera with playback feature
- WiFI Camera with night vision example: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07Z841XYD…
- WIldlife camera wifi not needed / eight AA batteries: You have to manually check footage: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B099F54JJ4…
🙏💜DON’T GIVE UP - MANY guardians find their kitties late night when it’s quiet and your voice and/or kitty’s meow can be easily heard … even scared cats try to come home or may meow if stuck at night. Set your alarm over and over. You can do this … Wishing you LOVE, HOPE and unwavering determination
💖🙏 damia💖🙏 650-339-6619 ( www.happycatlady.com)
🐯PLEASE BELOW example of taking notes on map as I went door to door. F = flyered (not home) Added names I spoke to in person - the goal is to talk to everyone to best engage neighbors - ask them to search garage, storage, sheds and to CALL if think they see kitty (and take a photo) Keeping track on a map is a HUGE HELP - I often return days later to remind folks to keep looking!
💖LINK TO PDF OF LOST CAT FLYER / GOOGLE MAP GRAPHIC EXAMPLE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYfhp2o-m2C_OKPvdEriHZxYscDmeL5U/view?usp=sharing
