HappyCatLady .
1 month ago
🐱 INDOOR-ONLY CATS (or INDOOR / OUTDOOR cats that get spooked and/or GET OUT into NEW location ) THey will find the 1st place to HIDE and HUNKER DOWN in SILENCE. They tend to remain VERY NEAR, typically within a few houses and often right next door or even UNDER your house. Kitty is in survival mode and meowing would give away their location to predators. Scared Cats in a foreign environment will often NOT meow - though Kitty needs to hear your voice. Kitty May come forward on your 40th or 400th call! Be patient. Scared cats are the best hiders.
🐱 INDOOR and INDOOR/OUTDOOR cats HIDE and GET STUCK in garages, crawl spaces, under porches, under buildings, in storage areas and roofs. Most lost cats are found within the block - though keep open to the possibility of further out!
🐱 DO Not put out LITTER BOX - the scent will attract aggressive animals
💥 IMPORTANT 💥 SEARCH & CALL for kitty calmly AT NIGHT when cats are most active and feel ‘safer’ to move. Set alarm for 12pm, 3AM, 5AM call for kitty in your sweet voice. Many cats come out of hiding LATE NIGHT (or you may hear meows if trapped nearby.
🐱 LEAVE A WAY BACK INSIDE 24/7 in case kitty sneaks back LATE NIGHT. Leave the ‘escape’ DOOR/WINDOW wedged OPEN 5” with wet food and water just inside. Place your dirty laundry by the escape point like a shirt or pillow case. If kitty escaped from the front (and you have a garage) leave garage door OPEN 5" with WET food placed just inside the opening with camera AIMED at the food bowl to send movement notifications to your PHONE. THEN place kitty’s BEDDING deep inside the garage (FAR AWAY from food) . If no garage, leave wet food and water near escape point - out of plain sight of humans walking by.
💥 IMPORTANT 💥 PLACE A CAMERA AIMED at WET FOOD bowl (NO DRY FOOD) ) you leave by the escape point (if possible wedge door open 5” with food inside ). The food may attract other cats in the neighborhood, but one of those cats might be yours if you’re lucky! Replace wet food every sunset (raccoons LOVE DRY cat food so only offer WET) You can't believe how often a cat will return home at night and has no way of getting back inside (or is too scared to go inside ) Without the camera aimed at food, guardians would NOT know kitty is AROUND. Once spotted on Camera, BUT still hiding from you, THEN the next step is to humanely TRAP your kitty. I can Loan you a TRAP if you live in SF - You can RENTa trap from any shelter.
💥💥BUY CAMERA: Mini Blink WIFI camera $35 : https://a.co/ihc7BSy
OR WYZE WIFI Waterproof Camera $29: https://a.co/d/4assVvK (get a Micro SD Memory Card: https://a.co/d/44AXvel) OR Waterproof cordless camera : https://a.co/d/cDeKLXz
IF NO WIFI: Wildlife/Trail camera (battery operated) Check footage manually https://a.co/d/gWTQ4wq , requires 8 AA lithium batteries (buy extra) + Micro SD Memory Card: https://a.co/d/44AXvel
TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS - \
🐱Your ACTUAL neighbors on your block will NOT see these online posts. And they won't do anything if they see a cat unless they know YOUR cat is missing! This is why you must go door to door with FLYERS and post up flyers on lampposts 1-3 blocks in all directions
💜🙏 🐱 KNOCK / RING DOORS, starting with the first 10 residences in ALL directions from you. Take notes on a PRINTED Google map of your block - note which neighbors you spoke to and those who weren’t home so you can return later - keep trying until you talk to all your neighbors around your block.
🐱RING CAMERAS - ASK neighbors to check CAMERAS, Garages, sheds, storage units, crawl spaces, under porches, pipe drain area. Kitty could be STUCK (happens all the time!) and talking to neighbors HELPS to engage them.
🐱 GAIN ACCESS TO YOUR NEIGHBORS YARDS: USE a flashlight EVEN during the day to catch the reflection of kitty’s EYE under decks and crawl spaces, as neighbor to let you search ALONE.
🐯PRINT A GOOGLE MAP OF YOUR BLOCK: BELOW is an example of taking notes on a map as I go door to door KNOCKING. If not home, tape a FLYER directly onto front doors using painter’s tape (won’t harm) . I write down names (or smiley face) which folks I spoke to. F = flyered (not home) The goal is to talk to all your neighbors to best engage them - ASK them to CALL if they THINK they see your cat ( + take a photo!) Keeping track on a map is a HUGE HELP - I keep returning until I talk to everyone and again a few days / 1 week later to remind folks!
🐱💜 PRINT 150+ FLYERS for giving out door to door and also POST FULL flyers on both sides of every lampposts 2 Blocks out in all directions. Place FLYERS (that you post up on lampposts) inside a clear “protective sheet cover” with the opening facing down so weather doesn’t ruin them. Google: “clear sheet protector” Buy on amazon or at a FEDEX PRINT store. You can submit print order online for pick up even if FEDEX is closed. Once open, ask if they can PRINT right away. Fedex Print stores sell ‘clear sheet protectors’, packing tape & duct tape for posting Flyers on lampposts and blue ‘painters tape’ for adhering flyers onto front doors and mailboxes.
Download a FLYER ‘template’ on www.happycatlady.com Offer a reward $ for a PHOTO of your Kitty And NOT to approach. SEE TEMPLATE:: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M2tvbJlvnL3NoLl_c6ulKxCLo5PSpOoL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102845077284118854428&rtpof=true&sd=true
Download LOST CAT MINI FLYERS (5 on 1 page): use ‘painters tape’ to tape these to front doors - won’t harm. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lpD_hsqdPD1AFLYZmhyMEXvirsI0rNv1F5ebgxyNCxY/edit?usp=sharing
ONLINE: (do not rely on just posting online)
🐱 Post on www.Nextdoor com, include address range. EXAMPLE 100-150 Kitty Avenue
NEXTDOOR: https://nextdoor.com/invite/tlpjrfjfsfzzypgctspp
🐱Report to Animal Care & control / animal shelters near you
*** SF ACC no longer accepts all HEALTHY found cats so call 1st and check the website ***
FOUND cats: SFACC https://www.sfanimalcare.org/stray-found-cats/
🐱Report kitty LOST on 24petconnect.com Check for FOUND cats daily.
Sending LOVE & unwavering determination
💖🙏 damia foti 💖🙏 650-339-6619 ( www.happycatlady.com)
💖LINK TO LOST CAT FLYER / GOOGLE MAP GRAPHIC: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYfhp2o-m2C_OKPvdEriHZxYscDmeL5U/view?usp=sharing
