Michele W.
2 months ago
Alice Oviedo here’s some info I copy and pasted from my notes I wrote. Do this nightly….
Lost Cat Protocol
Cats will generally stay in the area they were lost. They will normally hunker down and hide really well. They will usually only venture out of that area if they don’t find a food source and stop once they do.
You need to get a bright LED flashlight. (An old fashioned incandescent flashlight won’t work). It must be LED and very bright. I use 400 lumens or stronger. They can be purchased at Walmart for about $15.
You need to go out late at night when it’s quiet, around midnight or later and look for glowing green eyes. All cats eyes will glow green with an LED flashlight.
Look anywhere cats can hide. In bushes, under cars and other stuff, in street gutters, up in trees, etc.
You have to be consistent and do this nightly. Once found do not chase or go up to your cat. They may run. They are usually in survival mode or what is called fight or flight mode. It’s best to get down on ground level, shaking a bag of treats, and call them to you. You might even need a humane trap to get them.
While I highly suggest you make a lost and found post and hang flyers, do not expect to find your cat that way. You need to go out and look nightly with a flashlight.
I would also set up a feeding station near your home with a trail cam. View the footage daily to see if your cat is coming to eat. If so you can set a humane trap. I can let you borrow one if needed.
Rescues use this method to find cats and we have been very successful.
There was a cat that was trapped and dumped 30 miles away. She was found 30 days later not far away from the same area she was dumped.
We have found a lot more than that one using the flashlight method. Please try every night.
