West Haven, CT Lost Female Cat, Rhys Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Gail S.

1 month ago

Follow this tips for indoor cats Cat rescue tips for finding your lost indoor cat! If your cat has escaped and not familiar with the outside world, he/she is 99% of the time hiding right outside in your backyard or neighbors yard. When they get out, they get nervous and make a B line for the quickest place to find shelter/cover. Put outside his/her bedding, or your worn clothing for the scent so your cat can smell its way back to the house. You can even sprinkle vacuum dust. It will have his or her hair /scent in it. Also, it’s very important to get in those bushes, woods etc around your house and search for him/her. Cats are great at staying stealth quiet and staying in place for days out of fear , everything and everyone is a danger right now, including you. During the day, put out its favorite stinky food, or tuna/sardines etc and water so your cat doesn’t stray for food. What works best, is at night, take a strong flashlight and look for your cat in the bushes with the flashlight. If he/she is there, you will see his/her eyes with the reflection of the light. And don’t forget to look up in the trees. It could have been chased by a coyote or bobcat and it ran up the tree. I’ve heard this happen a few times. Their cats were hiding in the trees! And, if all of that doesn’t work you can set a trap ( have a heart trap you can buy at Home Depot or ask your local animal control to borrow one) and put a blanket or some of your worn clothing in it with food!! You can also get a wildlife tracker camera from Amazon or any sporting goods store. The camera will show any movement at night and if your cat is there you will see it at night on that camera and this can help you pinpoint its location Also, if there is a lot of rain, please make scent trails for your cat around the exterior of your house. And Another tip, call your cats name calmly at night, when it’s quiet, try sitting outside, shake treat bags too. ( but do this when it’s quiet out) cats tend to move around at night when there is no noise . Also, ask your neighbors to check their garages, sheds, under decks etc. It’s also very important to create flyers and put them around town in people’s mailboxes too. Keep your cat’s photo out there on social media, so people remember.

Gary M.

1 month ago

Drag scent trails… He may be hiding under a porch, a shed, or a car, behind bushes, or in a wooded area. Go out late at night with a flashlight that might reflect against his eyes, and call him gently. Or shake a bag of treats, sometimes better than your voice to attract a cat that’s scared. Create scent trails on the grass and ground leading up to your home (or to a trap, ideally monitored with a trail cam, so you can respond quickly when the cat is in the trap). Get a towel and rub it with your dirty laundry, blankets, socks, or anything else with the scent of home. (Do not use kitty litter.) Tie a rope to the towel and drag it from the areas where you think the cat might be, creating scent trails leading to your house (or the trap). You won’t smell the scent on the towel or the ground, but the cat will. (If you use a trap, load it with a little cat food, chicken or tuna, enough to attract the cat from the trail that leads up to it. Rely on the scent trails to get your cat to the trap.) Rain and snow will wash away the scent trails, so you’ll have to drag again afterwards. Also, renew the trails every couple days. Try to remain patient and hopeful. Some cats only show up after many days or even weeks. Important: . Never leave a trap unattended, always keep an eye on it, checking it every 1/2 hour in person or with a trail cam. Position the trap close to where the cat escaped or was last seen. . Trail cam photos and videos are marked with time stamps, helpful to know if and when the cat shows up but doesn’t go into the trap. . Post flyers in the area with a picture of your cat and your contact information. . Even if you don’t have a trap or a trail cam, scent trails leading to your home can work.

Donna F.

2 months ago

Prayers for a safe return 🙏❤️🐾🙏❤️🙏❤️🐾🙏

Carol C.

2 months ago

Rhys, we can't wait to see you back home 🐾💖

Gail S.

2 months ago

Do this ASAP Put out items with your scent on it, like an item of dirty clothing, towel, blankets. Put vacuum dust outside the door. Leave out a bowl of water. (if INDOOR Only cat Will be hiding in silence and fear either in your yard or neighbors check under bushes, desks and sheds) DO NOT put litter box out it will attract feral cats and predators. Go out at dawn and dusk and shake treats bag. Call as may times as possible, but night time is best Because its quite. Ask neighbors if you can check garages, sheds and under decks and their security camera recordings in the mid morning hours since cats are more likely to come out when it's quiet during the night. Put up 11x17 poster in neighborhood. Use a flashlight at night because you will see a reflection of their eyes, look up trees and post on your local town community page and next-door Neighborhood app.

Barbara V.

2 months ago

🙏shared

Fallon K.

2 months ago

So I’m located close by can I help ??

Linda M.

2 months ago

The Robin I. Kroogman New Haven Animal Shelter

Linda M.

2 months ago

If you have not, please contact animal control so they can report any sightings that anyone calls into you if you or your neighbor has a ring camera please post on the ring camera will cover your whole neighborhood. Make sure you leave something with your scent on it outside, like a cat bed or a blanket could’ve gotten locked in someone’s of garage with a nice weather. Take a bag of treats and go out and shake it all around your yard and call. Listen for any cries.

Linda M.

2 months ago