Anchorage, AK Lost Male Cat, MACKIE Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Cynthia W.

3 months ago

🐈 🐾 They are usually very close by, especially if they are not used to being outdoors. Some references may be specific to Anchorage; adjust as needed for wherever you are. Variables like bad weather, aftershocks, construction noise, etc. can potentially keep them lost longer a bit longer. That means you just need to keep doing everything consistently. When cats go missing they tend to stay in their hiding spot for 4 to 10 days before they even come out so don't give up! Reread that last sentence a few times and don’t forget it 🙂 Do as many of the tips listed as perfectly as possible in order to get the best results possible. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have!! On Facebook post at: •Anchorage Pets Lost & Found •Lost & Found Pets Alaska Be sure and leave out food! On the ground is fine. Or cans of wet food open just be careful about sharp edges. Wet food smells stronger than dry. If food is put out during the day cover lightly with leaves so birds have a harder time finding it. Most animals when lost plus the fact of being a cat make their activities tend to be much more nocturnal. This keeps them safer also. So to that end to help mitigate the bird thievery put out food just a bit before dark and check to see if gone as soon as possible after first light. If there are other cats in the household: put the other cat(s) in a cat carrier and set it out a ways from the house and you sit back a bit so you have a good view of the periphery and let it make some noise for a while. If you see the lost cat don’t make any sudden moves. If it runs off don’t chase but leave food where last seen. If it doesn’t show try it again later same night and a few nights in a row. I’m a big fan of cutting right to the chase and getting a trap. If you can’t check it every 2 hrs tie it open which is actually good “training” for the cat to go in and get food. 🙂 See the link for a visual of what I’m talking about. Traps are avail for rental at Anchorage Animal Care & Control. Refresh your food (and other scent items) every 12 hours or so whether or not any is gone. If there are houses nearby:...most cats are found within 5-10 houses in either direction from point of loss. best thing you can do is ask all neighbors to look under porches/in sheds, abandoned wells, etc. Shake a bowl of dry food outside late at night when it's quiet. Hang something that smells like home a few feet off the ground around your house so the smell carries on the wind. Dirty socks work well. There's also this stuff called liquid smoke that is super awesome that is sold next to ketchup. Transfer that to a spray bottle or an old saline solution bottle because you don't need a lot. And then spray or drip some above your food station and around the perimeter of your property. It can also super helpful to put their litter box outside! Either that or a couple scoops from the litter box right around the property. Super important: get the app next door and post on there. An email: "...Found him under a house in a crawl space across the way. Told the neighborhood kids we'd give whoever found him a reward and it motivated them, he was found within 30 minutes. So thankful!" From Craigslist: "Last night I got my 7yo cat home. He'd gone missing while I was away. I immediately started putting out food for him when I realized he was gone, at both the front and back doors. I also set out some recently worn clothing with the food. A few sightings meant he was still alive. I went to the Shelter and rented one of the Live Traps. Last night I set it on my front step. I put in a banquet! Dry food, fish skin, wet cat/dog food, treats. I put in water and cat-nip.I also covered the trap with cut grass. When I went to bed at 11pm, the trap was empty. At 1:30am, the neighbors' cat had to be released, and the trap re-set; at 3:30am my cat was trapped. Long story short, after being gone for well over a week, he was caught. He is now on 'lock down' for at least 10 days so that he re-adjusts to being 'my cat'. Just my recent experience in the hope it helps someone. Most cats are still near their home.” LOST CAT BEHAVIOR – NOTE INDOOR VS. OUTDOOR CATS http://www.3retrievers.com/lost-cats-guide.html http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-tips/lost-cat-behavior/ http://www.catsinthebag.org http://www.pet360.com/cat/lifestyle/guide-to-finding-a-lost-cat/tck2ni8nXk63IVCHt SUPER IMPORTANT: Make sure you post on the app Nextdoor! Anchorage Animal Control is 343.8122. Please list your pet as lost at the local animal control and rescues and keep checking in with them every few days; a physical visit is better than over the phone for two reasons: 1) No one knows your pet like you do. People working there do mean well but sometimes make mistakes. It’s better to check yourself. 2) While doing so you’ll have a chance to tell your story to the shelter staff. They’ll be more apt to remember you and your pet if you meet face-to-face. Connect with these rescues both on Facebook and email; send them a photo of your cat and when lost and make sure to keep checking their websites to see the new cats that are being brought in and that are up for adoption: Kitty & K9 Connection AK Dog & Cat Rescue Alaska Krazy Kat Cat Rescue Clear Creek Cat Rescue The Alaska Humane Society SPCA Kool Kat Rescue Alaska More tips for hard-to-catch cats: https://www.alleycat.org/tips-for-hard-to-trap-cats/

Cynthia W.

3 months ago

FOOD & SCENT STATIONS Where the pet was lost from and/or when you get sightings: put out food & scent stations, both on the ground and then up higher as well so the smell carries on the wind. So every station is really two; all of the following ingredients go on the ground and then again right above that 4-6 feet off the ground. If you don’t know which way the animal went and/or you haven’t had any sightings I recommend putting a station at each corner of your property. Your stations should consist of: 1) wet rather than dry food or even better McDonald’s cheeseburgers or equivalent torn into pieces minus onions and pickles (that’s my go to) 2) something that smells like home like their bed on the ground or a blanket they sleeps on (and straw if possible- they very well may bed down there!!!) or scent items belonging to the owner like dirty socks or used pillowcases. 3) then a spray of liquid smoke (sold next to ketchup- I transfer it to a spray bottle carefully outside where I want the smell not inside!) if available. All of that makes one food and scent station on the ground. Next: above that spot on the ground smear wet food or peanut butter or liverwurst or impale piece of McDonald’s meat on a branch, d dirty sock or pillowcase over tree branch and spray tree branches with liquid smoke. Refresh all of your items every 12 hours, ideally just after first light and again before dusk. It’s helpful to use game cams to see sooner rather than later it’s what animal it was that hopefully ate some of the food you put out. If it’s your animal take the others stations away and work just that one. If the animal is eating from the station but too skittish to be caught the next step would be to get a humane trap. It’s OK if you can’t do every single thing on the list (or food if that’s an issue where you are), just do something like stinky socks hung from more than one branch in more than one spot to get a bunch of smell out there. Please ask if you have any questions! Also as you’re walking around your yard put stinky food in a stinky sock and tie it to a stick or string and drag it behind you to create a scent trail. Have a backpack with an open jar of peanut butter and open bags of treats etc to create another scent trail and also drop tiny, tiny bits of food and drop every few feet. All trails are connected and don’t go by busy roads.

Cynthia W.

3 months ago

🐈‍⬛ IF YOU ARE MISSING A CAT When it’s very very late (or very very early) and very very quiet try calling softly and rattling food in a bowl or open a can of wet a food and use the edge of the lid to stir it up so it smells more and then walk around putting the lid on and off to make it kinda sound like you’re opening the can without having to keep opening a new can. Don’t rush or walk too fast as it will take time for them to come out if they’re going to. They are probably pretty close so don’t go too far afield as you don’t want to lead them away from home & all scent trails (you walking around carrying food) connect and lead back towards home. Can also try a laser pointer around the edges of bushes and cars and hidey holes as sometimes their instinct takes over and they can’t help chasing. Also stop after calling and cup your hands behind your ears to magnify any ambient sounds - check in all directions. And ALWAYS use a flashlight to look in potential hiding places even when the sun is shining as it’s hard to see into dark spots when it’s bright out and if you USE A FLASHLIGHT their eyes will reflect back at you. 🔦 ✨ 👀