Mill Valley, CA Lost Male Cat, Niko Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

HappyCatLady .

7 hours ago

🐱💖💖🙏 Dear Guardian. DON’T LOSE HOPE. Scared cats are the stealthiest of hiders and those that get STUCK will often not meow so their human must take action in various ways in order to cover ALL possibilities, daily/nightly until kitty is found. Lost cat 'Sophie' was reunited after being lost for 6 weeks! Cats remain close - they do not leave. They HIDE in survival mode doing their best. Sophie's guardian trapped her using a humane trap the night after she was spotted eating wet food on the camera her guardian's had aimed (mini blink camera $30 on amazon) Those who search and FLYER and talk to neighbors and call/search for kitty at night, use a motion activated camera aimed at wet food at sunset etc - greatly increase their chances of finding their kitty - though yes, sometimes it can take much longer than we want. 💜🐱Lost Cat 'Secret' was found after 26 nights - he was around the corner in the ceiling of a worker's room who saw a posted flyer! 🐱💖Lost Cat ‘Clementine’ was finally spotted after 29 days 1.5 yards away! A neighbor we flyered and spoke to 2 weeks earlier spotted kitty in her backyard. We ended up having to use a humane trap to trap her because she remained in survival mode and was too fearful to come forward to her human (2 days later Clementine was back to ‘normal’ purry self). Lost cat ‘Lina’ of 2 weeks was spotted returning home (video footage in backyard) but was too scared to come inside - the owner had to coax her for hours and hours for 2 nights. Without having a camera aimed at food she would NEVER have guessed her kitty was still in her backyard - HIDING! 🐱💖Lost Calico cat ‘Kittie’ was spotted after 4 weeks in a neighbor’s yard who we flyered so they called us. She had escaped out the front door leading to a busy street and must have found a way into the backyards 1 block away through metal gates she slipped through from teh street. This is why FLYERING at least 1-2 blocks beyond your block is a must. Once ‘kittie’ was sighted on the neighbor’s RING camera, we kept leaving food just before sunset every day around 6pm and got her coming to the food. We then set a humane trap and watched the trap using a baby monitor to make sure we didn’t trap a neighbor cats. The point of this is to continue taking action every day/night. Cats remain near - they do NOT go far from home.... 🐱💖Continue to call for kitty at night in your calm voice..set your alarm for 11pm, 2am, 5am ...walk around the block very slowly and calmly call for kitty ...Lost cat “SQUIRREL” was found after 13 nights of his guardian searching at night with a flashlight (kitty ‘squirrel’ got out from the street front and mostly cement on those blocks) During they day they went door to door finding out who had RING cameras and 7 days in, a neighbor spotted ‘squirrel’ cat walking by on camera at 2am...this gave them the extra boost of hope and they continued to search 11pm-2am. Try everything. Some cats will hide for a good 10 days until extreme HUNGER forces them out…sometimes only at night. And often cats get stuck in a garage while that neighbor is Out of town for over a week! Go back and talk to any neighbor who wasn’t home before. Take notes on the printed google map so you know who you spoked to and who wasn’t home (tape a flyer onto their front door using painter’s tape) 🐯 If your neighborhood isn't already plastered with flyers , PRINT MORE and add or replace flyers - IMPORTANT: knock on neighbors doors AGAIN and REMIND them that your sweet kitty is still missing and ask them to check around especially at night especially..ask neighbors with RING cameras to check the footage in case kitty is spotted...whatever you do, do NOT lose hope...keep searching and spreading the word with your neighbors door to door - they need to be reminded kitty is still out there and you need their vigilant eyes. You are still very early in this search. HUNGER ALWAYS WINS - LURE WITH WET FOOD 🐯 FEEDING STATION WITH CAMERA **IMPORTANT** PLACE A CAMERA (motion activated with night vision) aimed at WET food in bowl before sunset nightly. ( you can buy amazon)Cats that are scared remain near HIDING until their hunger THRESHHOLD will force them to come out of hiding to look for food though they will still continue to hide from humans. YEs - scared cats will even act scared of their human's voice and won't come inside and need to be coaxed. Lost cat 'Luna' was spotted on camera after being 'lost' for several weeks, her human was shocked to learn Luna was visiting the backyard regularly late night and would NOT come back inside ( the backdoor was left open for her) We thought she was stuck at a neighbors which happens all the time and it was the help of the camera which helped her human learn about the different cats that would visit and other animals...Luna’s guardian ended up Trapping Luna by doing a stakeout and watching out the window to the trap since it was just outside (all lights were turned off) 💥💥BUY CAMERA: Mini Blink WIFI camera $35 : https://a.co/ihc7BSy OR BLINK WIRELESS, Waterproof camera : https://a.co/d/cDeKLXz IF NO WIFI: Wildlife/Trail camera (battery operated) check footage manually daily https://a.co/d/a4Rqqdp requires 8 AA lithium batteries (buy extra) + Micro SD Memory Cards: https://a.co/d/44AXvel 🐯 GAIN ACCESS TO NEIGHBORS YARDS: Knock on your neighbors doors in ALL directions to ask for permission to check yards, under DECKS and porches and crawl spaces. Do this alone. Scared cats will NOT come forward right away and they are excellent hiders! You have to keep trying and explain to neighbors that cats protect themselves by hiding - even from the guardian they love - until THEY feel safe to come forward. Studies have proven 🐯Indoor cats remain near HIDING IN SILENCE and are mostly found within a few houses away from the escape point and outdoor/indoor cats mostly within a 1 block radius...sometimes when cats aren't coming back they may have hurt a paw and can’t jump back over a fence or they may be ill and need medical attention so taking action to actively search in neighbors property is crucial 🐯 Check your local animal shelter daily ONLINE and in per every 4 days IF they DON’T show all their cats online - CALL to find ou if they do t🙏🙏Unfortunately many cat guardians give up way too soon and some lost cats end up at the shelter months down the road by getting trapped by a caring neighbor - and those cats are NOT reclaimed so please keep checking your shelters ONLINE just in case! Just don’t depend on this - very very very few cats end up at the shelter - the vase majority are still outside trying to survive…don’t stop taking action 🐯 Make sure kitty’s MICROCHIP information is up-to-date. Call to report kitty Lost. If you don’t have the microchip number, check with your vet and/or place of adoption. In addition to updating wherever your cat’s chip was originally registered (or even if you don’t remember where you originally registered the chip), register your cat at the free Found Animals chip registry, https://www.foundanimals.org/microchip-registry/owners and the free pet chip registry, https://www.freepetchipregistry.com/ with your current contact information in order to increase the chances that if your cat is picked up, they can contact you. (I say increase the chances because sadly there are multiple databases for different chips and they are not all interconnected.)

📷 View photo on Facebook

HappyCatLady .

1 day ago

💖💖 MAKE HUGE NEON POSTERS and /or a BILLBOARD To increase the chances that a neighbors calls for any possible sighting ; once there is a SIGHTING you must ADD a camera aimed at wet food at that spot to confirm it is YOUR cat - once confirmed THEN you can plan to humanely trap kitty - when you can WATCH the trap every single second.(STAKEOUT from a short distance) 💖💖 NEON POSTER/S In front of your home and near a busy intersection everyone tends to drive by in your neighborhood. the guardian of lost cat ‘Claude’ created 2 of these HUGE NEON POSTERS - 1 was placed in front of her residence and the other was placed at the nearest busy intersection...a neighbor noticed the poster and then spotted kitty a few days later and called the guardian. 💖💖 BILLBOARD Make a HUGE BillBoard using a TARP, duct tape and Blown up photo of kitty (kinkos or fedex) - to tie up at a busy intersection near you to ensure everyone in the neighborhood is aware to call you upon sighting. 💖💖Tip: Print 16”x20” of clear full body photo of your cat (crop the photo to remove as much background so it’s just your cat) Fedex Print stores charges $11 for one color copy, available overnight. Cut out your cat and glue/tape to each huge neon sign and for the Billboard. See Signs/Billboard Examples: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y1h2G8kgceEs_pdhEsn9O18_ZijKLDbG/view?usp=sharing

📷 View photo on Facebook

HappyCatLady .

1 day ago

💖💖💖💖💖Keep calling for kitty from the escape door this morning and as the sun is setting…keep putting out wet food with camera aimed by sunset each night… ‘ 💖💖💖💖💖Keep flyering and talking to neighbors, GAIN permission to check crawl spaces and sheds and under decks of neighbors with a flashlight to catch kitty's eyes ...continue leaving WET food bowl just outside where kitty got out - you must get a camera aimed or you won't know who eats the food - a camera reveals everything . ❤️ Lost cat Bobby was found stuck in a neighbor's shed who had left for vacation for 2 weeks!! he fully recovered! The guardian kept stopping by until neighbor was back home and gained permission to check crawl space, storage area and shed 🙌 💖💖💖💖💖 Lost cat REESY PUFF (lost for over 5 weeks) was finally spotted on camera - we aimed a mini blink camera where we placed wet food bowl at sunset and it took THAT long for him to come !!. In the meantime I was flyering door to door talking to neighbors and posting up flyers and gaining access to backyards to check crawl spaces using a flashlight...once caught on camera we placed the food partially inside an UN-set humane trap to get her used to going inside without negative consequences - the camera revealed she was hesitant but went in to eat (she was hungry!!) so the next night we set the trap at sunset with yummy bait and waited and watched the ipad that was linked to the mini blink camera aimed at the trap door...she came within 4 hours and by 10pm she was home with her HAPPY guardian 💖💖💖💖💖 Lost cat Pumpkin (lost 26 days!!) was spotted on a neighbor's RING camera who had seen the flyer I posted on her door - she allowed me to set a trap and I monitored out of sight using a BABY MONITOR with a LONG extention cord leading to my car (you must watch a set trap every single second so you dn't trap a neighbors cat or wild animal!) Don't give up - keep FLYERING ...post up flyers and also go door to door taping them onto front doors so no one misses the photo and info. Keep putting wet food in bowl.dish at sunset with a camera aimed that will send your phone movement notifications and record movement. Sending you love and unwavering determination 💖💖💖💖💖

📷 View photo on Facebook

HappyCatLady .

1 day ago

❤️ 🙏 Call for kitty early morning and at night as you walk around slowly, and during the day knock on doors ask neighbors to PARTIALLY open garages and sheds and storages and crawlspace - any place kitty could have gotten stuck - leave partially open for 2 hours allowing kitty time to escape..if a neighbor is not home, then tape a flyer to the front door using painter's tape (won't harm the door) Keep track on a printed google map so you don't miss anyone..don't give up ❤️ Don't wait for anyone online - we live all over and your kitty is near YOU and your actual neighbors who are not seeing these posts ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ Don’t stop searching and calling for your cat at night and early morning when it’s quiet. Another lost cat was found 2 doors away UNDER the house TRAPPED under the house for a MONTH! - the neighbor heard something when she came home late and saw a very thin cat - she banged on her neighbor's door (she had seen the flyers for a month!) and he raced over and got his cat - who was SKINNY and dirty but alive!! Don't give up and don't stop taking action in person. Your cat could be stuck in a neighbor's shed or crawl space - please ask neighbors again to open up garages/sheds/storage units/crawl spaces/basements for 3 hours - allowing time for escape. Put out wet food by the door your cat normally goes in and out of ... they are often way closer than we think - just stuck and too scared to meow or sometimes they can't meow for not having water for so many days. Gain permission to go under basements ALONE - shine a flashlight under carefully - in the hopes of catching the GLOW of your cat's eyes. Continue to slowly walk and call for your cat - going right up to neighbor's garages and up against fences...let neighbors know you will be doing this at night...❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

HappyCatLady .

2 days ago

💖🐱I'm so sorry you haven't found your sweet kitty YET. RIGHT NOW it’s still early and quiet - Go out the 'escape' door again - and CALL For kitty in a calm NORMAL voice(no stress in your voice) Keep calling CALMLY. If kitty escaped from the front and you have a garage spend time there if possible TONIGHT , talk on the phone, work on laptop (do normal stuff). At sunset, place wet food (+ your dirty laundry at the opening of garage) THEN place kitty’s bedding WAY inside away from the food (food= predators, bed = safety so must be separate areas) IMPORTANT: GET that mini blink wifi camera ($29) aimed at the WET FOOD BOWL by tonight (call Target near you to make sure in stock if not amazon overnight: https://a.co/d/0hh9yPph) Repeat calling kitty LATE TONIGHT and spread the news to your neighbors door to door flyering during the day 🙏 💖🐱Dear guardian...sending this message with only LOVE in my heart...please do not rely on folks seeing this post online from your neighborhood or actual block - You must let your neighbors know kitty is missing with FLYERS and the best way is going door to door talking to your neighbors whoever is home and leaving a FLYER with those who are not home (TAPE A FLYER DIRECTLY ONTO THE FRONT DOOR using painter’s tape / won’t harm).! Even if a neighbor sees kitty outside they will assume kitty is indoor/outdoor and ok - not lost or missing - unless they are notified! ONLINE posts only gets to those actively looking at lost/found pets which is very limited. The exact neighbors you want to reach are right there near you - if you haven't gone door to door with flyers and posted up flyers on every street corner and mid street - I would highly suggest doing this TODAY. Also, in case KITTY is stuck/trapped you want the flyers to ask folks to check crawl spaces under homes, storage units, basements etc.. (Templates found on www.happycatlady.com) The point is to cover ALL Possibilities. https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-cat-behavior/ 🐱 Lost cat 'PRETO'- was found 1 week later - trapped in a garage, inside a HOLE going under the garage. His guardians each night would walk around very slowly calling for him in a CALM, NORMAL voice. They crinkled his treat bag and kept calling calmly. He finally meowed after 7 nights - after the 400th call!!! 🐱 Lost cat Soona finally showed up on camera eating the WET food being placed at the escape point nightly after 2 weeks! We trapped her the next night… 🐱 LOST cat ‘Squirrel’ was found on night 13 hiding disorientated inside the front stair deck of a neighbor’s home. The guardians had shined a flashlight there every night and this time ‘Squirrel’ was there! He did not meow when his guardian’s called… 🐱Lost cat ‘Hugo’ indoor/outdoor was found 2 backyards away after 3 weeks at midnight, with an injured paw that prevented him from jumping over fences 🐱Lost cat ‘Blue’’ was spotted by a neighbor who I had spoken to in person and given a flyer lost 3 weeks. We then set a humane trap and did a stake out ; he was trapped after waiting 4 hours staring at the trap! Best night ever! 💜Cover all possibilities; FLYER Door to door, talk to your neighbors. Post up flyers, Search and call for kitty at night in a calm voice..Stay strong. Don’t give up! 🐱💜🙏 🐱 Leave a way back inside (porch light off) 🐱RING CAMERAS: ASK NEIGHBORS to check their security CAMERA and if they can add a ‘RING’ missing cat alert 🐱 BUY A WIFI CAMERA AND AIM it to the WET food you leave by the escape point - so you will receive MOVEMENT notifications and video clips sent to your phone(adjust settings) so you can SEE who eats the food. if your cat is seen eating late night and hiding from you then the next step is to humanely trap your cat.. IN SO Many cases we would have NEVER known lost kitty was right there hiding without using a camera. Cats in survival mode WILL HIDE from all humans - even the human/s kitty loves - because once in a new environment or spooked - they go into survival mode - in order to protect from perceived predators). If you spot kitty on camera eating the WET food you’re putting out nightly (but kitty is not coming to your calls) THEN you will need to RENT/BORROW a HUMANE TRAP 💥💥BEFORE TRAPPING: MUST-WATCH HOW-TO VIDEOS 1. Trapper Tips and Tricks! Presented by Neighborhood Cats : https://youtu.be/DtXyrD6w0bk 2.Trappers Tips & Tricks Presented by Neighborhood Cats and the Community Cats Podcast : https://youtu.be/aL6kSPjrBbQ 🐱We were able to trap a lost cat that got outside of the cat sitters house. The guardian was convinced the cat was GONE. I said NO, the cat is scared and HIDING NEAR - he was finally caught on a camera aimed at the wet food bowl on night 9 and then it took a few nights to trap the cat. 🐱Lost cat Apollo was spotted on a neighbor's RING camera after being lost for over a month - they had received a flyer! You must Replace flyers and talk to neighbors again. And Continue to leave wet food and water out at sunset with a camera aimed at the wet food. Apollo was caught on camera hiding in a crawlspace and coming out to eat at 2am ! We then placed a TRAP next to the wet food to get him used to the trap being there (Apollo is super skittish so baby steps were taken to trap) . The next night we placed a bowl of wet food partially inside the trap (with the trap NOT set) just to get kitty used to going inside the trap without the door shutting. The camera revealed the time Apollo would eat...the owner was SHOCKED he was in his neighbors crawlspace several weeks and would not meow when he called for him. Yes, Sometimes cats will just continue to hide in complete survival mode so the only way to get them is to trap them and in order to do this - the best thing is to get kitty eating at a certain time first so then you can actively set a trap when you're ready to do a STAKEOUT for several hours, watching the set trap from a distance every minute it’s set - making sure no other animal gets near. 🐱 Print MORE flyers to post on both sides of every lampposts and distribute door to door to every single residence around your block and 1 block out in all directions from you to at the very least. Then expand out 1 block at a time. You can do this! Sending you LOVE, HOPE and unwavering determination… damia 💥💥 CAMERA: Mini Blink WIFI camera $29 : https://a.co/d/0basE6Qe OR WIRELESS/ waterproof Blink camera : https://a.co/d/0b5ksCyQ REUNITED LOST CAT EXAMPLES (and why you must cover all possibilities!) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m6gjYB1cx_girwYJ_3cx8K_4-WIVKGsq/view?usp=sharing

📷 View photo on Facebook

HappyCatLady .

3 days ago

YES - he's still out there 🐯 RIGHT NOW - It's still EARY and QUIET. Go out the 'escape' door and CALL For kitty in a calm NORMAL voice (no stress in your voice) Try calling sweetly and calmly over and over near the escape point. **** REPEAT TONIGHT 🐯Be patient..it can take some time find a scared lost cat. Even confident cats - IF SPOOKED by something - will go into survival mode of hiding from ALL humans. You must continue taking action in person. 🐯Get a camera aimed at wet food before sunset tonight (and ongoing) near the escape point ...Once spotted on camera going to the food, THEN you can plan to trap your baby ... if kitty is not returning for the food then kitty could be hiding or stuck at a neighbors - FLYER DOOR TO DOOR and talk to your neighbors ASAP🙏💜🙏💜 Mini Blink camera : https://a.co/d/00x4Gs9H Blink wireless: https://a.co/d/6LnRHNM —-- 💖🙏Dear guardian, please do not depend on ONLINE as the main way of finding kitty -- you want to cover all possibilities. In person searching and flyering and talking to neighbors and aiming camera at wet food by escape point consistently - is KEY💖🙏 💖🙏Your KITTY will remain VERY NEAR 💖🙏 Just because you don’t see or hear kitty does NOT mean kitty is not VERY near…I am emphasizing this so you don't go searching 10 blocks away or get mislead by any false sightings - without a photo to prove it’s your kitty. 🐯Continue calling kitty CALMLY in your NORMAL voice early mornings and at night. Call as you walk around your street ...listen closely for meows in garages (if kitty got out from the front).Calmly call for kitty as you walk back the entire time - you don’t want kitty to follow your voice AWAY from home. 🐯 Cats can sense stress in your voice and will hide if they sense it. Some scared cats will continue to hide and come forward when no one is around - to get to the WET food you you put bowls by kitty’s escape point. If kitty got out from the back then leave food and water by escape door left open 4” and talk to your neighbors to gain access to their yards. If kitty got out from front street and you have a garage, leave garage door open 4" with food and water just inside and kitty’s bedding way deep inside the garage - FAR AWAY FROM the food (food = predators, bedding = safety) AIM a WIFI camera at the food to receive movement notifications in case kitty comes to the food LATE NIGHT but then leaves again...then you WILL HAVE TO USE A HUMANE TRAP to trap kitty...rent or borrow a trap and watch youtube videos on how to successfully trap your cat🙏 🐯 INDOOR cats will remain VERY NEAR TO escape point in a hiding spot in SILENCE and may come forward during the day though most come forward after dark until morning(when it’s quiet). MOST indoor cats are found within 1-5 houses away! - many times kitty is hiding within the property, under the porch, in storage area. Scared cats are the stealthiest of hiders...this Is how they survive - Be patient and continue taking action. 🐯🐯Lost cat 'Tazzy' was found under the guardian's own house after 3 weeks! He has fully recovered at home thank goodness - he was hiding in silence but they spotted the reflection of his eyes using a flashlight at night! 🐯 INDOOR + INDOOR/OUTDOOR cats are typically found (hiding or stuck) within a block - depending on their ‘territory’. Lost cat 'HUGO" was found 2 backyards away disoriented after 7 nights ...his guardian Ann was losing hope calling for him late night and early morning and on night 7 at 11pm he meowed back!! This is why it's important to be consistent in searching and calling for Kitty in all the different ways ...in person...Flyering...checking Ring cameras...placing a camera in front of food and water you in case kitty is stuck and gets released on his own (example shed or garage door is opened releasing kitty)) Every cat is different. Be patience + determined 🐯And UNLESS your kitty is SUPER FRIENDLY to TOTAL strangers, the likelihood of kitty getting picked up and brought to animal care & control is just not reality ..at least not for a long while (though check online daily and in person once a week to cover all possibilities..shy or skittish cats often have to be humanely trapped. Happy to talk to you about that. 💥FLYERS WORK!!💥 Print 150+ ASAP 🐯PRINT OUT A GOOGLE MAP OF YOUR BLOCK with the address #s showing and take notes as you go DOOR TO DOOR telling your neighbors about your missing kitty. Take notes which residences you speak to and those NOT home so you can try back later. Return to those addresses if no one is home. The neighbors that aren’t home now COULD have a laundry room or storage that they closed just before leaving town - and your kitty got closed inside! 🐯POST UP FLYERS on both sides of LAMP POSTS - all around your block and and across the street to start . Place FLYERS inside a ‘CLEAR SHEET PROTECTOR’ with the opening facing down - so the flyers don’t get ruined by weather. Buy ALOT of packing tape, blue painter’s tape and bright color DUCT tape in case the packing tape doesn’t stick (wet poles) If the lampposts on your block are wood ( not metal), then use a STAPLE GUN. 🐯 PRINT MINIFLYER (or use full page flyers) to go door to door and knock on doors - if no answer then TAPE the flyer directly onto the front door (Using painter's tape - won't harm) or if no access after ringing doors then tape directly on the side of mailbox so it can't be missed. Keep track each residence you talk to and those not home so you can try to talk to them later - your cat could be in their crawl space not meowing so this is why I try to talk to everyone within 1-2 blocks working outward 🐯 ASK NEIGHBORS to check RING CAMERA and add a missing cat alert! TALKING to neighbors will get them to check garages, sheds, crawl spaces anywhere kitty could be hiding or stuck . Tell them kitty is in survival mode and if they spot kitty - TAKE A PHOTO and CALL and not approach kitty. For those not home, use that blue painters tape to adhere a FLYER ( top and bottom) directly on their front door (won't damage) or folded and taped next to their mail boxes. 🐯PRINT FLYERS at a FEDEX print stores (submit the order online for pick up or just go there) You can buy those “clear sheet protectors”, painters tape (for taping to front doors) and clear packing tape and Duct too! 🐯Sometimes you must check the same location more than ONCE!...SEE example from guardian who checked 3 times, same yard and finally found her kitty! ...https://drive.google.com/file/d/10I_aHnjJ9rX6rYbGi6v7AWUTJVqggIxD/view?usp=sharing 🐯APARTMENT BUILDINGS: KNOCK + Ring on bells and talk to folks and/or at least get inside so you can leave a flyer in front of each door or tape a FLYER to every front door (use painter’s tape) If you cannot get inside a building then tape 1 flyer per mailbox directly onto the top and bottom of EACH mail box to ensure everyone is informed! 🐯Cover all possibilities. Spreading the word IN PERSON Ask neighbors in person and on flyers to take a photo if they think they see your kitty instead of approaching Talking to neighbors dramatically increases the chances of your cat being spotted or discovered stuck. 🐯DON’T GIVE UP! Every day I get texts from cat guardians who found their cat stuck in a shed, under a neighbor’s garage, on a roof, inside a storage space etc…or that a neighbor heard a meow in their yard AT NIGHT. Every cat reacts differently. Getting the eyes of your neighbors is KEY. 🐯 Make sure kitty's microchip is current. 💖🙏 damia GRAPHIC - Flyering Door to door: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_6QyxSovMhvt9DizYVi4TJdFZ5wKJUpe/view?usp=sharing

📷 View photo on Facebook

Dawn F.

4 days ago

Time is of the essence. Cats don’t go far from home. Don’t wait for social media to bring your cat home, you need to be proactive. Leave the door/window the kitty exited from open 24/7. If unable, then crack garage door open 24/7 enough to get in. Hang worn clothes and/or your pillow case in a tree or on top of shrubs to create a scent trail. Knock on neighbors doors with a picture asking them to keep an eye out. See if they can check Ring cameras for any sighting. Post signs with kitty’s picture as many as possible, include surrounding neighborhoods. Go out late at night with a flashlight, shaking a bag of food, calling kitty’s name, looking under shrubs for their shining eyes. Post on Ring, Nextdoor and check shelters. Don’t give up. 💕

HappyCatLady .

4 days ago

💖🐱LURE KITTY WITH WET stinky fish based CAT food placed in bowl near escape point (2 hours before sunset /ongoing) NO DRY food / it attracts raccoons - ONLY WET FOOD and NEVER leave food in the can - it will SLICE the TONGUE and mouths of hungry cats. Get a $29 mini blink camera (order on amazon overnight)aimed at that food bowl - it will send your phone movement notifications and video clips - this is KEY because scared cats HIDE from all humans - even from YOU! the human kitty loves. ——— 💖🐱2 hours before sunset (ONGOING)Place bowl of wet food inside a larger bowl then fill the outer bowl with water to prevent ants from invading the wet food (NO DRY FOOD - you want kitty to smell the food and not attract raccoons who love dry food) 💖🐱 💖🐱INDOOR ONLY cats and LIMITED OUTSIDE ACCESS cats never go far. They go into survival mode and hide in silence. Most of them will not respond when they are in survival mode. 3 AM is the best time to find a missing indoor only cat. This is the time they become most active and responsive. Sit and quietly call for your kitty in your calm normal voice. Try to stay low, standing is intimidating to cats. Be patient. Do your best to remain calm despite the alarming situation. Calling for them at the top of your lungs will scare your already frightened cat. Scared cats are the best hiders. 💥💥 DO NOT LEAVE THE LITTER BOX OUTSIDE💥💥 It will attract Predators that will scare your cat away 💖🐱Put Your Scent Outside —.Place your dirty laundry - Tshirt, socks, pillow case or blanket you’ve used - place near the escape point. If you have a garage (and that’s the side kitty got out) place the items just inside the garage door left cracked open 5” - just enough for kitty to get in. 💖🐱Most INDOOR ONLY cats will be within 150 feet of your home HIDING (or stuck) . INDOOR cats that get out are immediately terrified and find the 1st place to hide and HUNKER DOWN sometimes for days at a time. DO a methodical search of the area. Check the house thoroughly. Check nearby bushes, underneath cars, in the car engine area, wheel wells and around the bumpers, check under your building, crawl space, drain pipe area. It's VERY VERY important that you look for kitty as late at night as you can.. Use a flashlight as late at night as you can to look in trees, under cars and in bushes, under porches, in crawl spaces. Try to look for the glow of the cat’s eyes. Because indoor only cats hide so well they are NOT as likely to be killed by a predator. Don't give up, it can take days. weeks or even months to find a missing cat. 💥💥 HUNGER ALWAYS WINS 💥💥 place wet food just inside the escape door and get a camera aimed AT WET FOOD - to receive phone notifications of any movement. Wildlife and motion activated WIFI cameras are extremely helpful in spotting scared cats that come out to eat when no one is around. It can take many nights before hunger takes over enough to come out of hiding (if not stuck) Keep replenishing wet food each sunset…it took 2 weeks for lost cat Reesy Puff to get caught on camera eating the food at night ( we trapped her 2 nights later) It took lost cat Sophie 6 weeks to show up on camera - trapped the next night! Some cats remain at a neighbors to scared or unable to get back - wherever your cat gets sighted get a camera aimed at wet food there asap and rent a trap… Mini Blink camera : https://a.co/d/00x4Gs9H Blink wireless: https://a.co/d/6LnRHNM 💖🐱PRINT flyers and hand them out to all your neighbors. Knock on doors. ASK neighbors to check Ring cameras and allow you to check crawl spaces, basements, sheds.. 💖🐱If kitty is spotted on someone's RING camera or in someone's YARD but STILL HIDING when you call calmly over and over THEN I'd highly recommend setting a trap at the same time kitty was spotted on camera. The trap must be monitored every single second it is ‘set’ to trap. A lot of people are successful trapping their own cats. If you decide to trap, you must watch the trap closely, predators can a cat in a trap. In a recent case, while using a baby monitor to monitor the trap from inside the home, the guardian’s cat came to the front door at 5 AM and she was heard on the baby monitor. 💖🐱RENT/BORROW A HUMANE TRAP - Ask Nextdoor ‘cat owner’ group or other pet groups if someone can loan your a humane trap to lure kitty with stinky wet fish based food. You can rent from your local SPCA/animal shelter though it can take a few days to access so sometimes reaching out to cat groups on nextdoor and facebook will be faster. If you live in San Francisco I am happy to loan you one of my traps. Traps WORK well to lure scared cats out of hiding before Dawn or after sunset. 💖🐱I use a baby monitor → https://a.co/d/bcuK17m as part of the STAKEOUT to monitor the trap door opening non-stop livestream (or you can add your wifi camera to your iPad or mini-ipad and use the pad as your live stream monitor OR SIMPLY watch LIVE FEED from your wifi camera (mini blink works great!). When you set the trap, you place stinky fish based wet cat food as bait at the far back center of the trap BEHIND the ‘trip plate’. I would suggest getting the help with someone experienced. OR watch the training videos below. It’s crucial for you cat’s safety. You must monitor the trap at a close distance and/or watch the baby monitor live feed without distractions. 💖🐱NEVER leave an active trap unattended/unmonitored for even 10 seconds. You don’t want to trap another cat or worse, a raccoon. If you come across any stray cats coming to the food, please find out if kitty belongs to someone else by posting online ‘IS THIS YOUR CAT’ on facebook, nextdoor etc and take the cat to determine if micro-chipped. There are so many lost kitties and you would hope someone would do this for your kitty. *** WARNING: if you don't watch the trap and your cat gets trapped they will thrash around trying to get out and will call on predators that can a cat in a trap. Watch the trap every minute and be ready to cover the trap with a blanket once your cat is trapped - will calm kitty until you can get kitty inside the home. *** 💥💥BEFORE TRAPPING: MUST-WATCH HOW-TO VIDEO Trapper Tips and Tricks! Presented by Neighborhood Cats : https://youtu.be/DtXyrD6w0bk LINK to Graphic showing Trapping Stakeout: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vTnF0r1693YiOYLhqJGvf0KtQQ3X17Qy/view?usp=sharing

📷 View photo on Facebook

HappyCatLady .

4 days ago

💖💖 *** TONIGHT *** starting as the sun is setting….GO OUT to kitty's ESCAPE / EXIT point and CALL For kitty in a very CALM, NORMAL voice. Keep calling gently. If kitty likes the sound of crinkling a treat bag, try that again and again. It’s best to sit down on the ground near the escape point and calmly call kitty for 30 minutes at a time. **** REPEAT LATE NIGHT 🙏*set alarm for 12AM AND 3AM. This is when cats are most active. *** Leave escape door open 4 inches porch lights off / dimmed - sometime they run back in after dark on their own after dark ***💖 If you have a garage that goes into the house keep both garage and door going inside open 4 inches 24/7. Be patient sometimes they will hide in one place for several nights before trying to come back to the escape door and/or Wet food you leave out with a camera aimed to record movement! ———————————— 🐱💜Dear Guardian. Please know you can find your sweet kitty by taking various actions to cover ALL possibilities, whether kitty is HIDING or STUCK. #1 mistake is Waiting. Glad you posted. Taking ACTION IN PERSON IS KEY. Here is exactly what to do 🙏 🐱 INDOOR-ONLY CATS (or INDOOR / OUTDOOR cats that get spooked and/or GET OUT into NEW location ) THey will find the 1st place to HIDE and HUNKER DOWN in SILENCE. They tend to remain VERY NEAR, typically within a few houses and often right next door or even UNDER your house. Kitty is in survival mode and meowing would give away their location to predators. Scared Cats in a foreign environment will often NOT meow - though Kitty needs to hear your voice. Kitty May come forward on your 40th or 400th call! Be patient. Scared cats are the best hiders. 🐱 INDOOR and INDOOR/OUTDOOR cats HIDE and GET STUCK in garages, crawl spaces, under porches, under buildings, in storage areas and roofs. Most lost cats are found within the block - though keep open to the possibility of further out! 💥💥 DO Not put out LITTER BOX - the scent will attract aggressive animals 💥💥 💥 IMPORTANT 💥 SEARCH & CALL for kitty calmly AT NIGHT when cats are most active and feel ‘safer’ to move. Set alarm for 12pm, 3AM, 5AM call for kitty in your sweet voice. Many cats come out of hiding LATE NIGHT (or you may hear meows if trapped nearby. 🐱 LEAVE A WAY BACK INSIDE 24/7 in case kitty sneaks back LATE NIGHT. Leave the ‘escape’ DOOR/WINDOW wedged OPEN 4” with wet food and water just inside. Place your dirty laundry by the escape point like a shirt or pillow case. If kitty escaped from the front (and you have a garage) leave garage door OPEN 4” with WET food placed just inside the opening with camera AIMED at the food bowl to send movement notifications to your PHONE. THEN place kitty’s BEDDING deep inside the garage (FAR AWAY from food) . If no garage, leave wet food and water near escape point - out of plain sight of humans walking by. 💥 IMPORTANT 💥 PLACE A CAMERA AIMED at WET FOOD bowl (NO DRY FOOD) ) you leave by the escape point (if possible wedge door open 4” with food inside ). The food may attract other cats in the neighborhood, but one of those cats might be yours if you’re lucky! Replace wet food every sunset (raccoons LOVE DRY cat food so only offer WET) You can't believe how often a cat will return home at night and has no way of getting back inside (or is too scared to go inside ) Without the camera aimed at food, guardians would NOT know kitty is AROUND. Once spotted on Camera, BUT still hiding from you, THEN the next step is to humanely TRAP your kitty. I can Loan you a TRAP if you live in SF - You can RENTa trap from any shelter. 💥 CAMERA: Mini Blink WIFI camera $29 : https://a.co/d/00x4Gs9H 💥 OR WIRELESS/ waterproof Blink camera : https://a.co/d/cDeKLXz 💥 IF NO WIFI: Wildlife/Trail camera (battery operated) Check footage manually https://a.co/d/a4Rqqdprequires 8 AA lithium batteries (buy extra) + Micro SD Memory Card: https://a.co/d/44AXvel TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS 🐱Your ACTUAL neighbors on your block will NOT see these online posts. And they won't do anything if they see a cat unless they know YOUR cat is missing! This is why you must go door to door with FLYERS and post up flyers on lampposts 1-3 blocks in all directions 💜🙏 🐱 KNOCK / RING DOORS, starting with the first 5-10 residences in ALL directions from you. Looks for gates she could have slipped under or through (if she got out from the street side) Take notes on a PRINTED Google map of your block - note which neighbors you spoke to and those who weren’t home so you can return later - keep trying until you talk to all your neighbors around your block. 🐱RING CAMERAS - ASK neighbors to check CAMERAS, Garages, sheds, storage units, crawl spaces, under porches, pipe drain area. Kitty could be STUCK (happens all the time!) and talking to neighbors HELPS to engage them. 🐱 GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR NEIGHBORS YARDS: USE a flashlight EVEN during the day to catch the reflection of kitty’s EYE under decks and crawl spaces, SEARCH ALONE. 🐯PRINT A GOOGLE MAP OF YOUR BLOCK: BELOW is an example of taking notes on a map as I go door to door KNOCKING. If not home, tape a FLYER directly onto front doors using painter’s tape (won’t harm) . I write down names (or smiley face) which folks I spoke to. F = flyered (not home) The goal is to talk to all your neighbors to best engage them - ASK them to CALL if they THINK they see your cat ( + take a photo!) Keeping track on a map is a HUGE HELP - I keep returning until I talk to everyone and again a few days / 1 week later to remind folks! 🐱💜 PRINT 150+ FLYERS for giving out door to door and also POST FULL flyers on both sides of every lampposts 2 Blocks out in all directions. Place FLYERS (that you post up on lampposts) inside a clear “protective sheet cover” with the opening facing down so weather doesn’t ruin them. Google: “clear sheet protector” Buy on amazon or at a FEDEX PRINT store. You can submit print order online for pick up even if FEDEX is closed. Once open, ask if they can PRINT right away. Fedex Print stores sell ‘clear sheet protectors’, packing tape & duct tape for posting Flyers on lampposts and blue ‘painters tape’ for adhering flyers onto front doors and mailboxes. Download a FLYER ‘template’ on www.happycatlady.com Offer a reward $ for a PHOTO of your Kitty And NOT to approach. SEE TEMPLATE:: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M2tvbJlvnL3NoLl_c6ulKxCLo5PSpOoL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102845077284118854428&rtpof=true&sd=true ONLINE: (please do not rely on posting online) 🙏💜DON’T GIVE UP! (INDOOR-ONLY) Lost Cat ‘Clementine’ was FOUND after 29 days only 2 backyards away! Her guardian had to trap her because kitty was in survival mode and kept hiding in the bushes. LOST CAT ‘Lina’ was spotted on camera 2 weeks later, eating food left by the open door but she would NOT come inside. Her guardian coaxed her for several nights to get her inside! Without a camera she would have NEVER known Lina was around. Cats act different when in survival mode - be patient. Sending LOVE & unwavering determination 💖🙏 damia foti 💖🙏 ( www.happycatlady.com) 💖LINK TO LOST CAT FLYER / GOOGLE MAP GRAPHIC: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYfhp2o-m2C_OKPvdEriHZxYscDmeL5U/view?usp=sharing —--