Reunited Male Cat in Greater London, England (ID: 73294090)

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Richard D.

1 week ago

Hope GUS is located and safely back home soon......................................

Lesley C.

1 week ago

Shared

Gary Y.

1 week ago

**ADVICE FOR MISSING HOUSE/INDOOR/DISPLACED CATS** An escaped house cat will behave very differently from an outdoor cat. For the first 3 days it will likely stay within a 5 house radius. They tend to run out and very quickly become afraid and freeze (the exception would be an unneutered cat who could be chased away fighting or mating). These first 3 days it is vital to follow this advice. Normal advice from lost and found is to put out used litter tray. PLEASE IGNORE THIS ADVICE - I shall explain why... Now your housecat is out of the house, he/she is out of their territory and in others cats territory. Your cat will be afraid and hiding very close. By putting out litter with their pheromones in, you are alerting other cats (maybe feral, aggressive un-neutered toms, or just dominant cats) to your cats presence in their turf. They will automatically react with prepared aggression to see it off. This is the last thing your hiding cat needs. Instead use your own scent or the scent of the home. Something like a pair of owner’s worn socks and used bedding or towels. You want the scent to draw/guide them home. It may sound distasteful but ..pee in a bottle and pour/spray it at cat spray height INSIDE your garden boundary. This is a scent cats know well and, again, can draw them home, it has the added bonus of repelling other cats. The contents of your vacuum are also very good scattered in the garden. When searching, it is useless to call your cat. Your voice will be full of anxiety and they will not recognise it. Besides, a frightened cat could have you stood next to them and not respond due to fear. Instead, grab a mobile and walk round making boring telephone calls or chat with a friend while searching. This normalises your voice to one your cat will recognise. Listen carefully for faint meows all the time. When searching, go out late at night when traffic noise has subsided. This is when they are most likely to calm a little and respond. Take a torch and search under hedges, in little gaps, anywhere a cat can squeeze to hide. Also look high, trees, garage roofs etc. Cats can go high when threatened or frightened. The torch light will reflect in their eyes making it easy for you to see them. Ask all neighbours to check sheds, garages, outbuildings and greenhouses. Do not be shy, offer to wait while they check! Even better, offer to check for yourself with their supervision. The most important advice is this...In the evening and through the night, leave a door open (of course for security be in the next room). Keep the entrance as quiet and dark as possible. Make their path home the least frightening as you can. Only when they are in the home and familiar with the surroundings again will they relax. The majority of missing house cats make their way home in the early hours of the morning when they feel it is safest. Do not be surprised if your cat comes in the garden but still will not come to you. This is fear and nothing personal. Back away and leave an entrance to the house clear. If this happens try to have the loan of a trap on standby from a local rescue or the RSPCA but please NEVER leave a trap unattended. Inform your chip company if chipped and email a picture and description to all local rescue centres and vets (including out of hours). Most of all try to stay calm and go over this advice.

Reunited Cat in Greater London, England

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