Daniel A.
3 months ago
For fixed missing outside and outside access cats...
This list is meant to help you to think through the real possibilities and eliminate the ones that are less likely:
1.
if very social with new ppl and strangers - at a neighbor's house/apt - outside there or taken in.
*Note: ppl often do not post about finding a cat - so check with your neighbors in person!!
2.
stuck somewhere like a neighbor's bat, garage, outbuilding, crawl space or other, typically close to home within a few houses.
*Cats have even gotten stuck out in the open in fences or tight places!
On this one - it's VERY COMMON. It happens without the owner knowing but also without the neighbors knowing as well.
When talking face to face with neighbors, ask them if they have had a space open recently and if you can look.
3.
injured: will likely be hiding close by IN or UNDER something.
Check the radius of 1050 feet 1st and very carefully.
*Use Google maps "distance function" too see 1050 feet around you.
4.
scared: attacked or challenged by another cat, chased by a loose dog and the radius of 1050 feet is a good 1st search area *though if chased by a dog could be further out.
These cats will be hiding.
NOTE: for both (3) and (4), cats when injured or scared, many times will NOT respond with meows even to their owners. So look slowly and very thoroughly and call for them in a normal everyday voice (so as not to cause more fear) but do expect them to be in silence.
*If challenged by another cat - yours may not easily return and will likely be in hiding too. Cats are territorial by nature and ownership of territory is sometimes stronger than a cat's will to come back as he/she will have to cross back through what now "belongs" to another cat.
So actively searching for them is a must.
5. NOTE: coyotes are literally in every part of the country. Ppl often dismiss them as having not seen them or believe that they're not around due to being in the city or a suburban area. They have been videoed in major downtown areas like Atlanta and Chattanooga as well as Athens and suburbs everywhere. So it's not just the "country" areas anymore.
chased by a coyote: could be scared and in deep hiding close by but many times simply run for their lives and could be a good ways from home after escaping it.
*Note: due to the nature of coyote attacks (being VERY different than dog attacks), cats many times won't return to the area of home due to the experience. So expect them to be a good ways away even up to a mile or more away trying to survive. These cats will literally start life over where they did themselves.
This is where using local public forum FB pages, Nextdoor App and Ring come into play.
Distances of a half mile or more are common after a coyote comes in on a cat. So reaching out online via public forum pages and using Nextdoor is good.
Also check with AC as your cat may be surrendered as a stray at some point.
In particular with coyotes, this process may take some time.
Initially the cat runs for it's life until safe but then finds it's self in unfamiliar territory and will hide.
The more social ones will come out from hiding 1st and seek "attention" and food. The less social ones will be in "survival mode" and can very easily appear as feral or feral like to someone who sees them.
There is often a gap in time between when the coyote attack happens and when the cat becomes visible wherever they are. So don't give up and use the public forum pages and Nextdoor while also maintaining contact with Animal Control.
6.
poison/toxin....a cat will likely be in their territory but out of sight typically laying under something or even an unusual place but again typically within their own territory.
There are numerous toxins that cats can get into from Sevin dust collected on the paws to antifreeze and rat bait....as well as flowers like Lilies.
7.
hitching a ride: far too common as socialized and even very skittish cats out of curiosity will for example get into a nearby person's van or truck or box trailer.
*Cats are not only curious but investigate new things in their surroundings as a way to map changes within their territory and sometimes will get into a box trailer or van etc nearby and get carried away unbeknownst to the driver.
Note: as soon as you know your cat is missing, recall any landscapers, construction workers, delivery ppl etc that were nearby same day.
8.
being trapped by someone nearby: ppl who trap cats to remove them don't often "advertise" that they do it.
It is unfortunate when it happens and going door to door can sometimes reveal if it's true or not....as other neighbors sometimes talk.
If it's happened, the drop point is necessary to know.
*From there however your cat is recoverable.
*contact me on Facebook (Daniel Akaiya) and I will instruct you on how to recover them. The cat is what we call a "displaced cat" and will have very specific behaviors making them easier to recover if acted upon.
9) hit by car: in the process of searching - and I maintain that missing cats are typically IN/UNDER something rather than in the street or out in the open - but absolutely check all streets to rule out being hit (and keep in mind that if your cat was chased by another cat or loose dog they might be on a street they're not used too)
10.
your cat is actually inside:
even without a history of "hiding", cats can suddenly become curious as to where a small hole or large enough crack or crawl space can lead to and get trapped/stuck. This includes attics and bat spaces too.
11.
under your own house: fairly common as owners have never seen them there and might not even be aware of a way to get up under it either. Over time, cats investigate their area and find little openings to places and up under the owners house is very common. This can potentially lead to another crawl space or sometimes cats can get wrapped in duct tape etc.
*Some owners may be aware that they're cat hangs out under the house (or even a neighbor's house) but ont think to check.
Less common but still happens:
12
I'm a tree. Cats are not natural tree dwellers but will certainly get up in one if persued by something
13.
if you allow your cat to go into parking lots or public places, not only can they be hit by a car or intentionally hurt/ed by people but someone can steal them if they're trusting of strangers.
Cats can be trapped by ppl as well. Typically this would be people doing what's called "TnR" in the local area or trapped by Animal Control.
Note: I've known a few aggressive people who will trap to do TnR and will not let neighbors know what they're doing and the cat goes "missing". When this happens it can be problematic to the owner but harmful to the cat who just had surgery and doesn't "understand" and thus can be confused and not coming home.
14.
Storms.... Fireworks.... Block parties... and other disturbances (whether you're explicitly aware of it or not) can cause some cats to hide or run and hide. Some will be inside of their own territory but may not come out (even a week later) and some can run in a direction that takes them outside of their territory.
Some of these will return on their own while others will remain afraid and must be located.
*Checking with and alerting neighbors is a must*
15.
stolen: though not extremely common, a neighbor may want your cat bc of it's "breed" or appearance or simply bc they think you don't take care of it....more commonly happens with friendly cats than less friendly ones but it does happen sometimes.
Note: I help ppl free of charge and apart from the list above - I specialize in cat behaviors.
Any questions you have just ask me on here or in Messenger.
