Santa Ana, CA Lost Male Cat, Birdie Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Lauren E.

3 months ago

I lost my kitty Nicholas at an Irvine apt complex 15 years ago. At that time I could find no information on how to find him. Luckily I found him three days later. I put these tips together to help others find their lost babies. TIPS TO FIND YOUR CAT: 1. Kitties usually stay close by their home, they hide in a bush or some small dark place and just sit and wait. Even if you call them, they may not come because they are freaked out and scared. 2. A cat's world is centered around scents. They will not be familiar with the outdoor scents because they have never been there before. To help them smell their way home, put things outside that smell like home, like you. A used towel, dirty shirt, dirty shoes. Leave the items out and sit with the door open as much as possible. If the kitty comes back in the door just remain calm and talk to the kitty normal until you can close the door behind him. 3. Do not put food out, you will attract other animals that may keep your cat away. You can walk around with smelly food or shaking treats, but don't leave it outside. 4. Walk around the neighborhood calling your kitty normally. Don't use a panicked voice, it will scare the kitty more. Best to only have people whose voice your kitty would normally come to. They will not come to a kind stranger helping you search. The kitty will catch your scent and hear your voice, and follow it back to your house. Most cats are within 200 cat yards. Which means if there is a fence, you couldn't get over, you would go around, but the cat could go right over. So keep that in mind when checking out 200 yards. 5. Pass out fliers to neighbors and talk to everyone, especially kids and dog walkers. It is a great idea to offer kids $20 if they find your cat and can tell you where he is. Kids love money and a challenge. 6. Check closed garages. Listen for meows when you call. 7. Use a flashlight under bushes and dark places, even during the day. The light will reflect off their eyes. This is how I found Nicholas, in a bush I walked by at least 20 times and didn't see him until I used the flashlight. 8. Sleep with the windows open, you may hear them crying at night. Lost kitties feel safest coming out late at night-early morning. 9. Check the shelter every day. 10. If your lost cat has a cat friend at home, take the cat or dog you have at home out in a secure carrier or on a leash and walk around with him or sit with him outside. Hopefully the other lost cat will hear and smell him. Dogs are good at finding lost cats. 11. Social Media - Facebook, Nextdoor, CraigsList, and PawBoost Lost & Found. 12. Vets have told me that indoor kitties that get lost are too scared to come out of hiding, even for food. It could be at least 10 days before your kitty gets hungry enough to come out of his safe hiding spot, so don't give up too soon. Once kitties do come out they will make a big circle around the area trying to find something that smells like home. So the more you walk out from your house and back, like a wagon wheel formation, the more your scent out there for kitty to follow when he gets brave. 13. If you have a garage, leave it cracked open, kitty may find his way back in. 14. Be careful of scammers. There are terrible people out there that pretend they have your cat but can never find time to meet up with you to return the cat. They are trying to make you frantic to give them money. 15. Check trees too, just found my cat 20 feet up a tree, couldn't get down. 16. Check inside, cabinets, closets, behind books. We have found cats sitting behind books on shelves, sleeping inside clothes in the closet, and in a hole in the wall behind a wall unit. 17. You can purchase a Havahart cat safe trap from Amazon. Watch the video on how to use it. Do not leave it unattended because you don’t want to try and release an angry raccoon. If you watch for a distance you can chase off wild critters. Have a plan if you catch another cat. This other cat may be keeping your cat away. So hopefully your shelter will take him. Maybe he is lost too and you saved him. Or maybe he is a stray and having a check up at the shelter will benefit him, and give your cat a chance to come home if this cat was keeping him away.

Elene M.

3 months ago

TIPS TO HELP FIND LOST PET:✅Place his/her bedding, your shoes, a piece of your unwashed clothing (such as a sweatshirt, blanket, pillowcases) and food/water outside *if there is coyotes in the area bring the food in at night*.🚫Do not put litter box outside. Putting the litter box outside can attract predators and other cats which might keep your cat from returning home🚫*Putting out the other items listed above, are scents only your cat will recognize* ‼️ They might be nearby and can’t figure out how to get inside ***IF you have a garage or door/sliding door that can be left open*** Leave the garage/ or door cracked for them and place the shoes, bedding, jand unwashed clothing in the garage‼️ ✅Walk around the area calling them calmly early morning and late evening when it’s quiet & shake a bag of treats or a squeaky toy, something they would recognize. ✅If he/she is microchipped contact the microchip company to report him/her lost and make sure your contact info is up to date. ✅Hang flyers (use a bright color board or paper) with picture in your neighborhood, surrounding areas, local shopping centers, businesses, vet's offices, groomers, etc. within a five mile radius from your home. ✅Go door to door with the flyers as well and try to speak with people when handing out flyers. ✅Make a sign with his/her picture and put it in your front yard stating he/she is missing. ✅File a lost report with the shelters in your area and surrounding area shelters ✅Check shelters in person, daily if possible. Ask to see the animals in isolation too. ✅Check shelter websites daily (as it is updated hourly) ✅Check shelter found reports for found postings but not at the shelter. ✅Take a flyer to the shelters. ✅File online with petharbor, pawboost ✅Post on area lost and found pet and community Facebook pages, area shelter Facebook pages, newspapers, nextdoor and Craigslist under "pets" and "Lost and Found". Cats usually are close to home. Hang clothes with your scent out. Ask your neighbors if they would look in their yard or garage or storage sheds to see if he is there or check their Ring camera to see if he was spotted on camera. Make sure you post fliers with your contact information on it so if he is spotted they can call you and tell his location. Keep an access point open for him to slip back in your home. Look in bushes or hiding spots around your home as if he is scared he will make himself safe by finding a hiding spot. Sometimes the best time to find your cat is when the noise level is low - after hours - or early morning hours. Take a flashlight 🔦 and shine and look for the eyes 👀 under cars up trees in bushes. Good luck!n the noise level is low - after hours - or early morning hours. Take a flashlight 🔦 and shine and look for the eyes 👀 under cars up trees in bushes. Good luck!

Kandace S.

3 months ago

Shared 🙏 ❤️

Kevin M.

3 months ago

Go around late at night calling them with food and flashlight to catch their eyes. Check around your neighborhood under houses and in small places where they may hide. Put stuff out that has yours and their scent on it. Hang flyers around for people to see. Check shelters and vets daily. Update chip info if they have a chip and its has not been update since a move. Ask neighbors to check in their garages incase they ended up trapped in one. I pray you get your baby back safe and soon.

Karen K.

3 months ago

📷 View photo on Facebook

Karen K.

3 months ago

📷 View photo on Facebook

Ri M.

3 months ago

Post on Nextdoor and Ring apps. Ask neighbors to check car hoods, garages and sheds immediately. Make sure to tap hoods of the car around. Keep an entryway open for cat to get in. Buy or loan a live cat trap from online stores or local tnr groups. Leave your garage open with cat to enter. Put some food and your clothing there for smell. Get a motion sensor camera to detect when cat is around your property

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