Gulf Cove, FL Lost Female Cat, Tequila Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Kimberly P.

1 week ago

My indoor only male black cat got out once. We put out all the scents. Old blankets, our unwashed clothes, his scratch post, his empty dirty litter box, vacuum dust etc. My nextdoor neighbor would see him trying to return during the day while we were at work. Then get scared and run off into nearby woods. I started setting my alarm for 3am while it was quiet and go out calling him. Finally after 5 days I heard him crying in very thick bushes Nextdoor to our house. I saw his eyes with my flashlight. I had to literally crawl to get him. He was like afraid to move. I finally got him . They usually don’t travel far. They will hunker down close by.

Diana E.

1 week ago

I’m so sorry your beautiful longhair, fluffy dilute tricolor cat (tortoises, blue tabby torbie) got outside, but please try not to despair. Tequila is likely hiding close to her escape route, too frightened to come when called or emerge in the daylight. Most indoor cats will attempt to return on their own, usually within the first few nights if the conditions are just right, so if you know what to expect and how to react, you could have her back inside by morning. I've recovered many escaped cats and have a full set of instructions, but I’ll withhold them for now, hopeful you won’t need them. This is what I suggest you do and when: DURING THE DAYTIME alert nearby neighbors in case Tequila is hiding just beyond your property (under a vehicle, outdoor furniture, shrubs, or in a garage, shed, or carport, etc.), then, if there’s time before dark and you can search SILENTLY without dislodging her from her hiding spot, focus your efforts close to home and tiptoe around in the daylight using a flashlight, but be quiet and discreet so as not to frighten her (shhh! DO NOT CALL or shake treats), check every crack and crevice, look in, under and around sheds, vehicles, furniture, under foundations and porches, into trees etc. but suspend searching when it gets dark to give her the chance to return voluntarily. AT DUSK (crack open the fence gate or enclosure door, if applicable, then) lay a familiar blanket or worn teeshirt flat on the doorstep where she escaped (DO NOT USE a litter box, bedding, trap or anything obvious -- it's there for scent only to give Tequila the confidence to come out of hiding) along with a bowl of food (to calm her and hold her attention). Call her softly to provide a familiar sound and direction, then watch and listen closely from inside (DO NOT GO BACK OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT!) and if you see Tequila approach and settle on the food be very careful not to startle her as you slowly and quietly provide a clear path back inside. If you can't wait up, set an alarm and watch again just before sunrise -- it's a popular time to return. Please let me know what happens tonight and if she's not back by morning, I'll provide more detailed instructions. Also, although some suggest putting out kitty's litter box, EXPERTS WARN AGAINST IT. I've never used one in all the times I've been successful recovering a lost cat. Please read this to learn more about why it's neither necessary nor recommended: https://www.facebook.com/notes/lost-cats-georgia/why-we-dont-recommend-putting-your-lost-cats-litter-box-outside/1101245526665296/

Samone A.

1 week ago