Harkness, VIC Lost Male Cat, Shadow Is Missing

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Winslow Y.

3 weeks ago

I’m sorry your cat is missing. 💔 The following suggestions may help you find your cat, they have worked for me in the past: Try approaching your neighbors. Put up posters. Leaflet neighborhood if possible at least 1-2 streets on either-side of yours, that’s how my missing cat was identified on a neighbor’s property. Go door knocking, at least 3-4 properties on either side of yours and across the road and street behind. Speak to those neighbours and personally deliver a leaflet of your missing cat to them. Your neighbours may pay more attention if you speak with them. Ask your neighbours if any CCTV footage may have been captured of your cat, this can be really helpful in tracking your cat’s movements. Contact local vets, pounds and shelters. Post on other Facebook Lost pet/cat sites for more exposure. Your cat will be close by, from personal experience, one of my missing cat’s was located at my next door neighbor’s house and another time several years ago, my cat was just one street away. When you find him, best to get him microchipped, that's how my cat was found and prevented a stranger from changing ownership of her. The best advice I can offer is to go out every night and search for your missing cat after dark, as this is often when you’ll have the most success. Call their name late at night or in the early hours of the morning, when everything is quiet and your cat can hear you more easily. Try going out between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and take a strong torch with you. If possible, go out twice during the night at different times. In many cases, lost cats are hiding very close-by, sometimes just next door or a few houses away. This method has worked for me before. I hope you’re reunited with your kitty soon ❤️🙏🏼

Barbara C.

3 weeks ago

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Barbara C.

3 weeks ago

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Barbara C.

3 weeks ago

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Barbara C.

3 weeks ago

Re your lost cat: Stressful! Please be open to many possibilities. Research indicates most 'lost' cats are hiding, scared (especially if chased or injured), possibly disoriented, locked in or trapped somewhere, usually within 500 metres from where lost (less for indoor cats). Some cats fear making a noise in case it attracts predators, so might not respond to your calls.They can squeeze into the tightest crevices (sometimes get stuck), why very thorough searches are required. Please search all through sheds, garages, under buildings, desks, in drains, bins, skips, in between tall walls and fences, roof and wall cavities, on rooves, up trees, vacant buildings, storage areas etc. (Might be hiding or locked in / trapped somewhere, surviving on insects, etc). Don't trust neighbours to search!!! (Or at least not as thoroughly as you. Some don't search at all. Cats have been found dead too late because neighbours "forgot" / did not bother). You are more likely to do the thorough search required. (Best ask permission to search yourself, or go with your neighbour). Call down drains with strong smelling food. If you can lift the grate and enter the drain, even better. (One cat recently found 500 metres away, down a drain). And /or create a temporary, stable ramp (eg with a branch of wood or towels to cling onto) from inside to outside of the drain, call down & leave strong food outside overnight. 10pm - 5am walks with strong smelling food and torch, when no cars: call calmly, stop, listen, wait. Leave a door open if safe with food inside. Leave strong smelling food (eg tinned Whiskas cat food meat and fish flavour or hot BBQ chicken) and water out overnight, near exit point and possible hiding places / where might be trapped. If food eaten, last resort, a cat trap on level ground in a safe, discreet location. Google how to use safely, monitor closely. Do not leave a trap unattended! Remain nearby. Posters, leaflets and door knock. CCTV cameras. Vets, pounds and animal welfare organisations, regularly with photo. Ensure microchip details are correct, register as lost. Do all at previous address, if puss recently moved home. (One cat recently travelled 26km to previous address, arrived 6 weeks after lost. Another found 500 metres away from where lost, 7 months later). Most cats need to be locked in for 3+ weeks to bond to a new home, otherwise sooner or later might try o head back to previous home or territory. Most cats are escape artists until bonded to new home! (eg breaking through mosquito netting and forcing sliding doors / windows open). Be extra vigilant !! New / timid cats & kittens are prone to hiding / getting stuck under / behind / in, furniture. So also check in / behind / under drawers, wardrobes, low lounges / beds, recliner chairs (don't move leg rest until double-checked), behind fridges where warm, washing machines (always check inside before washing). Be extra careful moving furniture! Behind / under kitchen cupboards & behind rangehoods, are other potential areas to be trapped. Do all of the above many times (in case your cat moves). Track down where any vehicles puss might have entered travelled to, do same there. 😞 🙏 (See Find Booboo page: determined owner perservered for 7+ months before found her skinny cat). Please consider keeping indoors and / or invest in a very secure cat enclosure or catio. (Research has found it adds 10+ years to average age of cats. Safer for cats and wildlife). Be aware of dodgy scams claiming to find or rescue your cat. Seek independent reviews before engaging & providing your personal detail and money. Don't give up searching ... 🙏 Re your lost cat: Stressful! Please be open to many possibilities. Research indicates most 'lost' cats are hiding, scared (especially if chased or injured), possibly disoriented, locked in or trapped somewhere, usually within 500 metres from where lost (less for indoor cats). Some cats fear making a noise in case it attracts predators, so might not respond to your calls.They can squeeze into the tightest crevices (sometimes get stuck), why very thorough searches are required. Please search all through sheds, garages, under buildings, desks, in drains, bins, skips, in between tall walls and fences, roof and wall cavities, on rooves, up trees, vacant buildings, storage areas etc. (Might be hiding or locked in / trapped somewhere, surviving on insects, etc). Don't trust neighbours to search!!! (Or at least not as thoroughly as you. Some don't search at all. Cats have been found dead too late because neighbours "forgot" / did not bother). You are more likely to do the thorough search required. (Best ask permission to search yourself, or go with your neighbour). Call down drains with strong smelling food. If you can lift the grate and enter the drain, even better. (One cat recently found 500 metres away, down a drain). And /or create a temporary, stable ramp (eg with a branch of wood or towels to cling onto) from inside to outside of the drain, call down & leave strong food outside overnight. 10pm - 5am walks with strong smelling food and torch, when no cars: call calmly, stop, listen, wait. Leave a door open if safe with food inside. Leave strong smelling food (eg tinned Whiskas cat food meat and fish flavour or hot BBQ chicken) and water out overnight, near exit point and possible hiding places / where might be trapped. If food eaten, last resort, a cat trap on level ground in a safe, discreet location. Google how to use safely, monitor closely. Do not leave a trap unattended! Remain nearby. Posters, leaflets and door knock. CCTV cameras. Vets, pounds and animal welfare organisations, regularly with photo. Ensure microchip details are correct, register as lost. Do all at previous address, if puss recently moved home. (One cat recently travelled 26km to previous address, arrived 6 weeks after lost. Another found 500 metres away from where lost, 7 months later). Most cats need to be locked in for 3+ weeks to bond to a new home, otherwise sooner or later might try o head back to previous home or territory. Most cats are escape artists until bonded to new home! (eg breaking through mosquito netting and forcing sliding doors / windows open). Be extra vigilant !! New / timid cats & kittens are prone to hiding / getting stuck under / behind / in, furniture. So also check in / behind / under drawers, wardrobes, low lounges / beds, recliner chairs (don't move leg rest until double-checked), behind fridges where warm, washing machines (always check inside before washing). Be extra careful moving furniture! Behind / under kitchen cupboards & behind rangehoods, are other potential areas to be trapped. Do all of the above many times (in case your cat moves). Track down where any vehicles puss might have entered travelled to, do same there. 😞 🙏 (See Find Booboo page: determined owner perservered for 7+ months before found her skinny cat). Please consider keeping indoors and / or invest in a very secure cat enclosure or catio. (Research has found it adds 10+ years to average age of cats. Safer for cats and wildlife). Be aware of dodgy scams claiming to find or rescue your cat. Seek independent reviews before engaging & providing your personal detail and money. Don't give up searching ... 🙏

Erika S.

3 weeks ago

Hopefully hiding nearby. Night time walks are super important

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Erika S.

3 weeks ago

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Janice A.

3 weeks ago

Searching for a lost cat: 11pm and 3-5am walks. Lost cats are frightened and won’t move in daylight. Go out calling, make noises cat is familiar with such as tapping fork on food tin, stop and wait for miaows and also take a high beam torch so you can shine it around and see the reflection of your cat's eyes. Walk around your neighbourhood. Your cat could have been chased a few houses away or gotten lost. They tend to stay within 50m of home for first few days (hopefully you will find sooner than that). Try taking some HOT chicken or Tuna. In daylight, ask neighbours if YOU can check in sheds, garages and under house etc - more likely to come out for YOU. Good luck. Don’t give up! Most lost cats are found by door knocking (letterboxing can work but the risk is people will not see/throw out the flyer) neighbours and asking their permission to do really thorough searches of their front and back yards, after dark, in a 3-5 house radius - under houses, under decks, in sheds, behind sheds, in garages etc. Some cats are found at shelters, vets or from Facebook posts. It's worth still doing those things, but don't do them instead of searching. For a more detailed 'toolkit' to guide you with each step, check out this website. http://www.scaredycats.com.au/ https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/.../kitty-litter-myth/ FLIERS TO HALVE YOUR COSTS The scaredycats.com.au website includes template fliers for door knocking that will halve your printing costs, and lots of other resources. MAPPING OUT YOUR SEARCH AREA Map out your priority 3-5 house radius search area using google maps. Start with the houses closest to yours, then work outwards. Ask to search their front and back yards after dark, with a good torch, looking for your cat's eyes shining. SEARCHES The searches need to be super thorough - CSI-type, on hands and knees, as if you're looking for a precious lost wedding ring. Check in any gap more than 3cm - under houses, under decks, in sheds, in wood piles, in shrubs, in small gaps etc. DON'T RELY ON NEIGHBOURS 'KEEPING A LOOK OUT' No one cares about your cat like you do. If you ask ppl to search for you, they're unlikely to do it as thoroughly as is needed. If they don't like cats, they won't search at all. THE LITTER TRAY MYTH You might get suggestions to put their litter tray outside. Missing cat experts do not recommend this, as it can attract other cats into your cat's territory, stopping them from coming back or sticking around. 3AM WALKS Cats are much more confident and more likely to be out looking for food when humans are in bed. If your cat is confident, you may be able to sight them in the street or a front garden by quietly and slowly walking along the street at around 3am. THE STARVATION FACTOR Timid cats may stay hidden for up to 14 days, until they're starving. So if you don't find them initially, don't give up! RECOVERING THEM Once you know where they are, you may need to use a cat trap to recover them, especially if they're timid. It's a good idea to source one in advance. Try asking local cat rescue groups. (There is often a long waiting list from councils and shelters). You can buy them from Kennards & Bunnings. DON'T GIVE UP! Even if you haven't seen them, it doesn't mean they're not there. We know of a cat who was under a dense shrub. His person walked within 1m of the shrub and shone a torch into it but didn't see him. He stayed quiet. He was found the next day from a more thorough search on hands and knees. Check with shelters, animal rescues, council, lost dogs’ home etc. Inform Central Animal Records (03) 97063187) that he/she is missing and ensure your details are correct so that you can be contacted. If she was handed in or trapped, get in touch with the ranger, Vets and Animal Shelters (check soon and frequently as they do not keep cats very long). Other steps to take to find a kitty that is still in the vicinity, can be found on this webpage in other posts. If there is CCTV have a look as to whether you can see anything. Good luck. Hope your kitty is back home soon.

Shadow is Missing in Harkness, VIC

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Shadow is Missing in Harkness, VIC

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