Wess S.
1 month ago
He is likely not far from your home. Have you gone out at night with a can of stinky wet food and a flashlight looking for eyes in hidey-holes? You need consistent and patient. Have you checked with your neighbor’s who have garages, window wells and porches? Have you left stinky food out? Have you set up a scent station of your dirty laundry? Is he microchipped? Have you called animal control, checked shelters, posted in their lost section? Have you talked with neighbors who may have ring cameras, put up fliers, hand out postcard versions of the flier to all neighbors? Have you made large neon signs and placed them at major intersections? Have you posted on Nextdoor, all Facebook lost pet sites, posted on www.pawboost.com
www.petharbor.com
Post on Craigslist as well?
Here is some useful info: . When your cat is hiding in silence, avoiding predators real or imaginary, the last thing he wants is for you to focus attention on him. When you call his name, he instinctively feels that you are shining a spotlight on him, pointing him out to any predators in the area. Calling your cat’s name will probably increase his anxiety. Even if he wants to be with you, his fear of predators will outweigh his drive to come home, in most cases. In a few cases, calling a cat’s name has worked, but given the potential for making things worse, you shouldn’t risk it. There are other ways to attract him to you.
Instead of calling a cat’s name, just talk to yourself in a casual tone of voice. You don’t want to sound worried or anxious. You want to sound calm, so your cat can be calm. If you’ve ever spoken in an angry or agitated tone of voice at some person or thing in your house, perhaps even shouting at the TV, you may have seen your cats or dogs look worried, wondering if they ought to run and hide. Our pets pick up on our moods. You want to sound calm so that your cat can be calm. Some people want to express to their cats just how desperate they are to have them back home. While it’s great that you want your cat home so passionately, that’s not the message your cat is going to receive. He is going to think, Mom is worried and anxious, so I should be worried and anxious. I’ll stay hidden until it’s safe. Instead, even though it’s a lie, you want to convey an attitude of, “It’s fine if you stay hidden. You can come out if you want to, or not. I really don’t care.” If you feel self-conscious about wandering your neighborhood talking to yourself, then call someone on your cell phone and have a long, pleasant conversation with them.
Other things you can do instead of calling your cat’s name include rattling his food bowl with a little kibble in it. Don’t shake it continuously. Just rattle it once or twice a minute. You can also crinkle one of those packages that treats come in, if he is accustomed to getting those kinds of treats. If your cat lives with other cats, and if he knows their names because you say them often, then call the name of a cat that is safely at home. If you can record happy sounds of your other cats about to get their dinner, then you can play that recording on your smart phone as you walk around looking for the missing cat. You will not be focusing your attention on the lost cat, but you will be giving a familiar sound that your cat might associate with dinner time or extra attention.
Reach out if you need more help/guidance.
Rescuelostpets.org
