East Hartford, CT Lost Male Cat, Oscar Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Curt L.

1 week ago

Hope this little one is found safe and soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jason H.

1 week ago

Scent Tip: If possible, hang these clothes up high (on a clothesline, deck railing, or low branch) rather than leaving them flat on the ground. This allows the breeze to catch your scent and carry it much further through the neighborhood.

Jason H.

1 week ago

I copied and combined advice from lost-cat recovery groups and successful reunions, and thought it might help others in our community: 🐱 Lost Indoor Cat Rescue Tips If your indoor cat has escaped and isn’t familiar with the outdoors, there’s a very good chance he or she is hiding close to home—often in your yard or a immediate neighbor’s yard. When indoor cats get outside, they usually become frightened and make a beeline for the nearest cover. They often hide silently and may stay in the exact same spot for days. 🏡 Start Close to Home Thoroughly check: • Under decks, porches, and crawl spaces • Thick bushes and shrubs • Open sheds, garages, and barns • Wood piles and window wells • Under parked vehicles, wheel wells, and engine compartments Tip: Ask neighbors for permission to thoroughly check their yards and outbuildings yourself. A frightened cat won't usually come out for a stranger. 👃 Use Familiar Scents (The Safe Way) Put outside: • Your cat’s bedding or favorite blanket • Worn clothing (T-shirts, pillowcases) that smells like you • Vacuum dust from your home (it contains familiar scents and fur) ⚠️ Note: Avoid putting out a dirty litter box. While popular advice, the scent can actually attract predators or territorial neighborhood cats, scaring your missing cat away. 🥩 Food and Water • Place smelly food (tuna, sardines, wet food) and a bowl of water outside only while actively monitoring the area during the day. • Do not leave food or water out unattended overnight. It attracts raccoons, skunks, and strays that will terrify your cat and keep them from coming home. 🌙 Search at Night (Crucial!) Many lost cats only become active after dark when the world gets quiet. • Go out late at night with a strong flashlight. Hold the light at eye level and scan slowly—a cat’s eyes will reflect brightly in the beam. • Sit quietly, call their name calmly, and shake a treat bag. Be patient; a terrified cat might watch you for a long time before making a sound. 📷 Use Tech & Cameras • Direct your Ring, security, or motion-activated trail cameras toward the house exits and where you left the scent items. • Many owners discover their cat is visiting the porch between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM without them ever knowing it. 🪤 Consider a Humane Trap If your cat has been missing more than a day or two, a humane trap is often the most effective tool. You can buy them at hardware stores or borrow them from local rescues/animal control. • Trap tips: Line the bottom with a familiar-smelling towel (but keep fabric clear of the trip plate). Cover the top and sides with a blanket so it feels like a safe, dark tunnel. Check it frequently. 🗣️ Get the Word Out • Post on Facebook, Nextdoor, Ring, and local lost pet groups. • Contact local animal control, shelters, rescues, and vets with a photo. • Make neon flyers: Use bright neon poster board. Keep the text massive (e.g., "LOST BLACK CAT" and your phone number) so drivers can read it in 3 seconds. • Ensure your cat’s microchip information is up to date. ❤️ Don’t Give Up Too Soon! Do not assume the worst. Many missing indoor cats are found days, weeks, or even months later because their owners stayed persistent. S/N: Cats and dogs tend to stay close to home. Please have your pets spayed/neutered and microchipped if you haven’t already. It’s the best way to ensure a happy reunion if the unexpected happens!

Noelle H.

1 week ago

Humane trap and camera are key, plus leaving a door slightly ajar at night for reentry

📷 View photo on Facebook

Jessica G.

1 week ago

CAT RESCUE TIPS FOR INDOOR CATS THAT HAVE ESCAPED If your cat has escaped and not familiar with the outside world, he/she is 99% of the time hiding right outside in your backyard or neighbors yard. When they get out, they get nervous and make a quick sprint for the first place they see to find shelter/cover. Put outside his/her bedding, or your worn clothing for the scent so your cat can smell its way back to the house. You can even sprinkle vacuum dust. It will have his or her hair /scent in it. Also, it’s very important to get in those bushes, woods etc around your house and search for him/her. Cats are great at staying stealth quiet and staying in place for days out of fear , everything and everyone is scary right now, including you. During the day, put out its favorite stinky food, or tuna/sardines etc and water so your cat doesn’t stray for food. What works best, is at night, take a strong flashlight and look for your cat in the bushes with the flashlight. If he/she is there, you will see his/her eyes with the reflection of the light. And don’t forget to look up in the trees. It could have been chased by a coyote and it ran up a tree. I’ve heard this happen a few times. And, if that doesn’t work you can set a trap ( have a heart trap ) you can buy at Home Depot or ask your local animal control to borrow one and put a blanket or your dirty clothing in it with stinky food!! But no food at night. You can also get a wildlife tracker camera from Amazon or any sporting goods store. The camera will show any movement at night and if your cat is around the camera will pick up its location /area it’s in. Also, if there is a lot of rain, please make scent trails for your cat around the exterior of your house after the rainfall. Google how to create scent trails. Another tip, call your cats name calmly at night, when it’s quiet, try sitting outside shake treat bags too. ( but do this when it’s quiet out) cats tend to move around at night when there is no noise . Also, ask your neighbors to check their garages, sheds, under decks etc. even bat if there is access through cellar doors. It can take weeks but your cat is still most likely around trying to survive. It’s also very important to create flyers and put them around town in people’s mailboxes too. Keep your cat’s photo out there on social media, so people remember your cat’s photo and stays fresh in their mind. I’ve seen cats that have been missing for months found again even a few towns over

Darlene K.

1 week ago

Sharing in my prayers for you to get your sweet fur baby back. Please give an update when returned home. Thank you

Eileen T.

1 week ago

Maybe contact a local volunteer rescue group to help search.

Todd P.

1 week ago

Get home safely, Oscar.

Marie E.

1 week ago

📷 View photo on Facebook

Marc B.

1 week ago

To everyone whose cat recently escaped through an open window or door and need help recovering their beloved family member.... A year ago I installed a motion sensor camera in my patio for when my ferals come around and need food or shelter. I was surprised to find out how much activity was being captured during the night when people usually sleep. I have raccoons , possums , skunks , and yes , even cats that I've never seen before show up in the middle of the night. Most of us have no idea that all this activity is even taking place while we are asleep. There is a good chance that your lost cat may be coming out late at night looking to get back in the house, but nobody's there to see or hear them. My advices is to purchase an inexpensive motion sensor camera from Amazon or Walmart and set it up outside your house door. You can review all your motion captures every morning, and if your cat appears in any of the motion capture videos, you can put out some food or an article of clothing OR a trap and set your camera to send you notifications on your phone next time she shows up, and with a little bit of luck, be able to recover your beloved family member. Most lost cats are usually indoor cats and are probably very afraid and don't come out until late at night when it feels safe. Also, have your neighbors check any surveillance cameras they may have for any possible sightings of your cat. Please do not hesitate to message me if you have any related questions.Thank you. Hope this helps. PS - the owner of a lost kitty just recovered her cat after receiving a notification from her motion-cam at 3am this morning. ❤️ Another cat owner messaged me stating she has been reunited with her cat after two weeks through the use of a motion camera. Her cat was detected in the middle of the night when most people sleep.❤️

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