Westmead, NSW Lost Male Cat, Sonic Is Missing

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Lydia T.

1 month ago

Stressful! Please be open to many possibilities. Most 'lost' cats are hiding (or locked in / trapped, prevented from returning home), frightened (especially if chased or injured), possibly disoriented, within about 500 metres from where lost. (Less for indoor cats). Some cats fear making a noise, in case it attracts predators, so might not respond to your calls. They can squeeze into the tightest crevices (sometimes become wedged in), why very thorough searches are required. I am aware of 100's of situations where a cat was accidentally locked in / trapped somewhere (eg in a neighbours shed, garage, holiday home, roof, crawl-space under a home / industrial building). Most somehow survived (eg by eating insects), many others didn't. 😞 Please thoroughly search through sheds, garages, under houses / buildings, basements, decks, neighbours' bins, skips, under bushes, between tall walls and fences, in roof and wall cavities, on top of rooves, in trees, vacant homes / buildings (even neighbours on holidays), construction / storage areas, etc. One cat recently spotted hiding under neighbour's roof solar panels. Ask neighbours to check cctv cameras. Don't trust neighbours to search!!! (Or at least not as thoroughly as you. Some don't search at all). Best ask permission to search yourself, or go with neighbour. If neighbours are unco-operative, suggest you involve police to do a welfare check and to keep the peace. Alternatively, offer a reward (bribe) for unco-operative / uncaring neighbours. 😞 Call down drains (with strong smelling food). If you can lift the grate and enter the drain, even better. (One cat found 500 metres, another 3km away in drain!). And /or create a temporary, stable ramp (eg with rolled towels or a branch of wood) from inside to outside of the drain, with strong smelling food outside overnight. Dusk to 5am walks with strong smelling food (eg Whiskas sardines, salmon & meat flavours, or hot BBQ chicken), cat carrier and torch. When no cars: call calmly, stop, sit, listen, wait. Leave a door open if safe, with strong smelling food inside & out overnight, near exit point. Also, in / near other possible hiding places / where might be trapped. If food eaten, set up a sensor wildlife camera to ensure it is your cat. Next night, try waiting nearby with food and a carrier ... Or if safe, gradually (each night) move the food into your yard / home and close door from behind (while cat is eating). As a last resort (as lots can go wrong), place a humane cat trap on level ground, in a safe, discreet location. Google how to use safely, monitor closely. (Do not leave a trap unattended! Some people release distressed cats, or harm / / steal the trap with cat in it! Remain nearby). 😞 Put a towel over trap, to keep cat calm. Don't open until safe at home (or at vet). Posters with reward tacked high on telegraph poles / noticeboards, in plastic sleeve. Also, circulate leaflets (pay postman). Vets, pounds and animal welfare organisations, regularly with photo. If has escaped a new home (cats most likely to escape / become lost, within a month of a move): begin an intense, comprehensive search asap & leave food out / doors open, starting close to the new home, spreading outwards. Unpredictable what might do next: One cat travelled 26km to previous address, arrived 6 weeks after lost. Another found 500 metres away from where lost, 7 months later. Do all advised at old address, too ... Most cats need to be locked in for 3+ weeks to bond to a new home, otherwise sooner or later might try to head back to previous home / territory (& become lost, or worse). Many cats are escape artists until bonded to a new home! (eg breaking through mosquito netting and forcing sliding doors / windows open. Use dowell to limit opening to no more than 2cm). Spray bottle near door. Preferably not in a room with the door leading to outside. (Better a room, with a couple of doors closed, before reaching an exit door). Cannot stress enough, be extra vigilant !! New / timid cats & kittens are prone to hiding / getting stuck under / behind / in, furniture. So also check in / behind / under drawers, wardrobes, low lounges / beds, recliner chairs (don't move leg rest until double-checked), behind fridges, washing machines and dryers. (Always check inside before using, as cats have in these :-( ). Also, behind / under kitchen cupboards / kick-boards / rangehoods or any other spaces. Be extra careful moving furniture! Do all of the above many times (in case your cat moves around). Track down where any vehicles (eg tradies / removalist vans) which puss might have entered: call the driver to ask where travelled to. Check cctv cameras & do all of the above there, too. 😞 🙏 Please consider keeping your precious cat indoors and / or invest in a very secure cat enclosure, or catio. (Research has found it adds 10+ years to average age of cats. Safer for cats and wildlife). As responsible adults, we curb children's freedom to keep them safe, similarly for cats :-( 🙏 Update microchip details / ensure correct. Not all vets are aware: microchips can migrate! (One cat's microchip recently located in arm pit!). Ideally, vets to do an extra thorough, all over body scan. (Don't solely rely on microchip).🙏 Be aware of dodgy scams or people offering to find, or claiming to have found, your cat. Seek independent evidence (eg ask for photos or distinguishing features, do reviews, etc & watch out for AI generated pics, using your cat pic), before providing personal details or money. Don't give up searching (some cats found weeks, months, years later) ... 🙏

Suze C.

2 months ago

It's Spring time and many cats are escaping to find cats of the opposite . And even though they've been desexed it makes no difference, "The Call of The Wild" is still strong in their genes! So you might have to widen your search area and drive around after 10.30pm with a flashlight and some dry cat food that you can shake and try searching storm water drains further afield and calling down them. (They are a favourite place for scared cats to hide out in) Time is of the essence to going out and looking for your missing fur baby. Night walks, every night for about 30 minutes are super essential to tracking your missing cat. It's a dangerous world out there for roaming fur babies, sadly and you don't want them getting into the wrong human hands!!! When you do your night walks after 10.30pm when the world is quieter, take a flash light and the dry food container and shake it or tap it as you go. (And you could also try taking some hot roast chicken with you as an alternative). And look in all hiding places close by to where your cat escaped from. Under buildings, shrubs, parked vehicles, on roofs, (or in attics) up trees, absolutely everywhere and most especially in the storm water drains in your's and nearby streets. Call down these drains (A favourite place for scared cats to hunker down) and the Flashlight will show up the eyes. Do not go once, go every night calling (try not to sound distressed) and repeat, repeat, repeat, & just the repetition of doing that can help a cat find their way back to you. Print fliers and door knock neighbours far & wide. Ask if you can search their gardens and any outdoor buildings, always calling as you search, (you might just get a reply) and ask them to check any attics in their houses, leave a flier with them. Always check in with the Pounds and any RSPCA and Vets etc. Leave them a flier too. And if there's a sighting you can always hire or borrow a humane cat trap and set it with hot roast chicken. Good luck in finding your beautiful fur baby. 🙏

2 months ago

I always post this in the hope that it can help- especially to alert owners to possible scams. Many times cats get found within a close vicinity (a few houses, or streets or blocks) from where they went missing 🤞🏼 These are detailed tips for searching for cats that I have put together- you are probably doing many already, but I hope my tips can help too. I have provided some info/ warning about pranks, scams and scammers too - there are a lot of them about, unfortunately in person and on social media. My tips at this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/18Rn2eE52V/?mibextid=WC7FNe —————- Good luck 🐾🐾

Karina R.

2 months ago

📷 View photo on Facebook

Kris B.

2 months ago

Try going out at night when it’s quiet take a torch this will help reflect on there eyes if they are hiding, also take out some hot chicken or dry biscuits and call. Contact local and out of area vets & pounds leave lost details,see if anyone in your street has cctv cameras, ask neighbours to check their yards & garages, put up lost signs around area. Does anyone in your street have cctv cameras? If your pet is Microchipped, please make sure that your information is up to date, and your details have been attached to microchip number, especially if recently microchipped or adopted. So many microchips do not have updated information.

Sonic is Missing in Westmead, NSW

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Sonic is Missing in Westmead, NSW

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