Virginia Beach, VA Lost Female Cat, Bella Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Tricia D.

39 mins ago

STEPS FOR FINDING LOST CATS Step 1: The ABSOLUTE quickest and easiest way to find a lost indoor-only cat is to open the exit it escaped through for several days. Typically, the cat will return to the home on its own. If this is not possible, crack an attached garage door, enclosed porch, or window (providing something for the cat to step on). This is essentially using part of your home as a “trap”. Turn off the lights outside the house. Keep it as quiet as possible outside the home, especially at night. The key is to create an environment where the cat feels safe to return. Step 2: Put scent items outside the exit the cat escaped, or in the enclosed area you have cracked. Also, place scent items just outside the door of the “trap”. Cats have an amazing sense of smell, and the smell of home calms them and lures them back. Scent items can include (use as many as possible) litter box, slept on sheets/pillow case of owner, owner’s worn clothes/shoes, cat’s bedding, cat tree, and toys. Use items the cat is particularly attached to. Step 3: Post the cat on local lost and found pet sites. Include the cat’s identifying color, area lost (be specific with street name, neighborhood, city), and date last seen. This information helps others find your missing post through searchable keywords. Nextdoor and Pawboost are free and commonly used across the country. Neighborhood sites are also important. For local pet owners, post on Lost and Found Pets Hampton Roads. Step 4: Make sure to visit your local animal control in person. File a lost report and bring the shelter a flier. Find out if your report becomes inactive after a certain number of days, and make sure to update it as needed. Many pets find their way to the shelter months after becoming lost. Step 5: It is extremely important to use fliers for your area. In the case of an indoor-only cat, a flier should be on every door within a 7-house radius. You will need approximately 150 fliers. This is work, but highly effective. Input your address in Google search, and draw a map of a 7-house-length radius around your home. This is the area to blanket with fliers. Step 6: Physically searching for your cat can have some drawbacks. Walking the neighborhood calling can actually lure the kitty further from home, and also keep it more in hiding. Instead, it is best to call from the exit where the cat escaped. Make sure the calls are soft and familiar. The owner should be seated and have all lights outside turned off. This is less intimidating to the cat and makes it feel safe. We do not recommend doing this in the early morning hours, as this can keep the cat from returning home. Step 7: Should you search for your cat, make sure it is someone the cat is familiar with. A neighborhood search can also move the cat further from home and keep it in hiding. The cat needs time to settle down, and movement will continue the survival mode mindset. Search quietly and softly, looking under nearby sheds, open crawl spaces, decks, etc. At night, utilizing a flashlight to look for the cat’s eyes can be fruitful. Again, we do not recommend the search to be lengthy or during the early morning hours, as this can prevent kitty from simply returning on their own. Noises of people walking around and doors opening can actually spook the cat while it is on high alert. Step 8: Place a baby monitor outside the door the cat escaped, preferably a video monitor. This can allow you to hear your cat meowing or scratching at the door. You may also want to use a trail camera. If you should put food by the door your cat escaped, it is highly recommended to have a camera on the food to know what animal is coming to eat. If it is not your cat eating the food, then you will either want to remove the food altogether or trap the animal. Once you have your cat on camera eating, you will want to use a humane trap. Elaine Jones

Karen P.

4 hours ago

🥺🐾🙏

Kathy L.

4 hours ago

Please file a missing cat report with the Virginia Beach animal shelter. If the cat is chipped, please make sure the registry has your current contact information. Visit the shelter several times a week to look at your cat has been brought in. Tonight after 10 PM, go out in your yard yard with a bag of kitty treats and a flashlight. Walk around your yard calling your cat’s name and shaking the kitty treats bag. Look at the bushes with your flashlight to see if your cat is hiding in the bushes. Print flyers with your cat picture and your contact information and take them around to your neighbors. Asking them to call you if they see your cat. Print flyers with your cats picture and your contact information and take around to your neighbors also. Ask them if they’ve been in their shed outbuilding or garage since your cat has been missing. Cats go in those places to hide and then the owner locks the door and the cat cannot get out. You cannot hear a cat crying to get out of structure unless you’re standing right next to it. Look on your porches, decks in any house it has an open crawlspace.

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