HappyCatLady .
1 year ago
💖 It's still dark and quiet.. RIGHT NOW - Go out the 'escape' door and CALL For kitty in a ver y calm, NORMAL voice ...keep calling gently , in your normal voice and if your kitty likes the sound of crinkling a treat bag or opening a can of food then please try that...call for your sweet kitty for 30 minutes straight - then read the rest of this post to learn exactly what to do ...do NOT lose hope and do Not stop taking action.💖
💜🙏 Your indoor/outdoor kitty could be stuck at a neighbors unable to get back (OR GOT spooked by someone or something hiding) and why you must take action in several ways in order to cover ALL possibilities - ESPECIALLY in person – with the neighbors on your block to start!
🐱 Taking ACTION IN PERSON is CRITICAL: https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-cat-behavior/
🐱 Leave a WAY BACK INSIDE for kitty to sneak inside in case kitty is stuck in a garage and someone opens it up today/tomorrow for example
🐱 SEARCH AND CALL for kitty consistently throughout the day and ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT from 10 PM UNTIL 6AM (when it’s quiet, dark and cats feel ‘safer’ to move out of hiding) Set your alarm for 11pm, 1AM 3AM 5AM...go out and call for kitty in a CALM and NORMAL voice & wait...shake treats (if that is something kitty normally responds to) I can’t tell you how many kitties come out of hiding during these late hours…(or you can hear meows if trapped in your next door neighbors garage or backyard for example)..kitty needs to hear your voice
🐱 people will see a cat outside and will NOT do anything UNLESS they know your cat is missing!
🐱 GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR NEIGHBORS YARDS: Knock doors - Get permission for YOU to check yards using flashlight even during day...explain how kitty will hide from strangers and it's best for you to check anywhere kitty could be hiding (they are excellent silent hiders) Sometimes you have to check more than ONCE in the same yards...see text example received...https://drive.google.com/.../10I.../view...
🐱 Make sure kitty's microchip is up to date . Cover ALL POSSIBILITIES.
🐱 PRINT 150 FLYERS ASAP to give your neighbors. KNOCK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS DOORS TODAY starting with your block. POST UP FLYERS on both sides of streetlamps in CLEAR SHEET PROTECTORS with the opening facing down so the RAIN doesn’t ruin them. US DUCT TAPE for lampposts. Google “protective sheet covers” - purchase on amazon or any office supply. You can order FLYERS online at your nearest FEDEX PRINT store for pick up even if they’re closed. call once open , and ask if they can PRINT right away due to the urgency. I have found that if you’re nice, fedex staff will always print quickly. NOTE: They sell sheet protectors along with packing tape for posting Flyers on lampposts and the painters tape (for adhering flyers onto front doors and mailboxes)
🐱Download a Flyer ‘template’ from www HappyCatLady com, which offers a reward for a PHOTO of your kitty to encourage neighbors to search for kitty and to call you if they spot kitty instead of approaching (and potentially) spooking kitty.
🐱 MANY are not on Facebook or Nextdoor.com (or don’t get notifications) so you MUST go door to door in person, circle your block and across the street to start - make sure every neighbor knows about kitty . Ask neighbors to take a photo and call you if they see kitty and NOT to approach. ASK neighbors to check their yards / garages /sheds ..roofs, crawl spaces. Kitty could be stuck / trapped (this happens all the time!) and talking to your neighbors will hopefully engage them into helping.
🐱 PRINT A GOOGLE MAP OF YOUR BLOCK with address #s showing so you can take notes on who you’ve talked to and which houses to try again later if no one answers ..keep trying..you want to talk to every residence around your block and across the street to start…the map print out helps you keep track as it's easy to get mixed up when you're stressing out.....(see example further below). The goal is to TALK to as many neighbors IN PERSON as possible https://drive.google.com/.../1ZDSAf2ky52.../view…
🐱 APARTMENT BUILDINGS: For distributing flyers ...I always ring on bells and talk to folks and/or at least get inside so I can leave a flyer In front of each door step or if not an option then tape flyers onto the top and bottom of EACH mail box to ensure everyone around your block is aware along with posting UP FLYERS around the block and 1 block out in all directions (use the clear sheet protector so they LAST more than a few days! You want to cover all possibilities. Spreading the word IN PERSON and online is Critical in spotting kitty. Ask neighbors in person and on flyers to take a photo if they think they see your kitty instead of approaching her and to call/text you. Talking to neighbors dramatically increases the chances of your cat being spotted or discovered stuck..it engages people to care and to actively search
MAILBOXES EXAMPLE _ FLYERING https://drive.google.com/.../1pQTHFCYD.../view…
💥 IMPORTANT 💥 PLACE A CAMERA (motion activated with night vision) facing out the escape door with food and watch footage daily - you can't believe how many times a cat will return home - eat - has no way of getting back inside (or just WILL NOT go back inside - to scared / in survival mode - IN THIS CASE THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO SET A HUMANE TRAP - please let me know as I have a trap and VIDEO on how to use) and the owners stops going out at night so the cat disappears back into the night...you may see other cats, raccoons and other creatures eat the food..that's ok...replace the WET food only (raccoons LOVE dry cat food so use only WET)
- WiFI Camera with night vision example: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07Z841XYD…
- WIldlife camera ( If location does NOT have wifi)/ eight AA batteries: You have to manually check footage: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B099F54JJ4…
🐱ASK YOUR NEIGHBORS to check their RING CAMERA and add a missing cat alert FOR YOU.
🐱 DON’T GIVE UP.. every day I get texts from cat owners saying they found their cat stuck in a shed, under a neighbor’s garage, on a roof, inside a storage space etc…or that a neighbor heard a meow in their yard at night …..each cat is different and needs our patience and determination…and getting the eyes and ears of your neighbors to help is KEY. Return to those addresses if no one is home. Take notes . The neighbors that aren’t home COULD have a laundry room or storage that they closed just before leaving town and you need to cover ALL possibilities to find kitty. Sometimes you have to check the same place twice!
ONLINE:
🐱 Post on www.Nextdoor com under ‘lost & found’ and ‘cat owners’ group. with close address range. EXAMPLE 1000-1050 kitty street cross street Paw ave
1.NEXTDOOR INVITE: https://nextdoor.com/invite/tlpjrfjfsfzzypgctspp
2. INVITE LINK TO NEXTDOOR ‘CAT OWNERS GROUP: https://nextdoor.com/g/qazvu50sq/
🐱Report to Animal Care & control - your local animal shelter/s - Check for FOUND cats online daily and IN PERSON WEEKY
If you live in OAKLAND - check for ‘FOUND’ CATS:
https://www.oaklandanimalservices.org/services/lost-and-found/found-animals/found-cats/
Contra Costa Animal Care & Control
Alameda Animal Care & Control
East Bay SPCA
Keep taking action every day/night. Kitty needs your help! Sending you Love and unwavering determination.
damia foti 650-339-6619 ( www.happycatlady.com)
🐯PLEASE BELOW example of taking notes on map as I went door to door. F = flyered (not home) Added names I spoke to in person - the goal is to talk to everyone to best engage neighbors - ask them to search garage, storage, sheds and to CALL if think they see kitty (and take a photo) Keeping track on a map is a HUGE HELP - I often return days later to remind folks to keep looking!
