View Lost Cats Near Winter Haven, FL

Bagel is Missing in Winter Haven, FL

Share on

Status

LOST

Date Last Seen

August 13, 2026

Location Last Seen

Winter Haven, FL 33881

Nearest Landmark

W Lake Hamilton Dr

Name

Bagel

Sex

Male

PawBoost ID

73267879

Species

Cat

Description

Brown tabby

Message from Owner

Bagel is my friendly cat, and right now my heart is heavy because he has been missing since August 13. My cousin unexpectedly did not close the door properly when leaving the hse, and Bagel got outside. We live in the Lake Hamilton area of Winter Haven, Florida, and we have not seen him since. He is such a sweet, friendly part of my life, and we are doing everything we can to search for him and bring him home safely.

Comments on this Facebook alert

Gab K.
3 weeks ago
Please read till the end..Walk around calling your cat as you always do. Look under bushes and in hiding places. Look at dawn and dusk with a flashlight to catch the glare of your cat's eyes. Leave garage door and lanai partially open if possible. Your cat will try to get back inside ..most likely at night. Use a trap...The only way to find his way home.or to the trap is by smell. Use some of your used clothes, put them outside and around the trap. A friend of mine used her shirt and dragged it through the neighborhood. Her cat found the smell and followed it home. It is all about the smell. You can also cut a shirt of yours into small small pieces and leave a scent trail back to the trap. I read a few days ago that a lady put out a trace with the old litter throughout the neighborhood. It worked. Her cat came home! Use the litter to lead your cat to the trap. Also try to distribute flyers throughout that neighborhood...as many as you can ( 3 miles radius at least). Check shelters in person...don't just call. Put battery operated trail cameras or motion cameras (Amazon for $25) outside. Your cat might show up in the middle of the night. When you know the time you can wait for for your cat and slow blink to make contact. NEVER GIVE UP! I read once that you can put a chair outside and cover it up with a blanket and the cat can jump up and hide under the blanket and feels safe. They said you should put one of your shirts under the blanket and food and water next to the chair. It might be worth a try to put up a chair
Reply
John M.
3 weeks ago
🙏🏼
Reply
Diana E.
3 weeks ago
I’m so sorry your beautiful brown tabby cat got outside, but please try not to despair -- Bagel is likely hiding close to his escape route, too frightened to come when called or emerge in the daylight. Most indoor cats will attempt to return on their own, usually within the first few nights if the conditions are just right, so if you know what to expect and how to react, you could have him back inside by morning. I've recovered many escaped cats and have a full set of instructions, but I’ll withhold them for now, hopeful you won’t need them. This is what I suggest you do and when: DURING THE DAYTIME, alert nearby neighbors in case Bagel is hiding just beyond your property (under a vehicle, in a garage, shed, or carport, etc.), then, if there’s time before dark and you can search SILENTLY without dislodging him from his hiding spot, focus your efforts close to home and tiptoe around using a flashlight, but be quiet and discreet so as not to frighten him (shhh! DO NOT CALL or shake treats), check every crack and crevice, look in, under and around sheds, vehicles, furniture, under foundations and porches, into trees etc. but suspend searching when it gets dark to give him the chance to return voluntarily. IMMEDIATELY (if you see this comment overnight) or AT DUSK lay a familiar blanket or worn teeshirt flat on the doorstep where he escaped (DO NOT USE a litter box, bedding, trap or anything obvious -- it's there for scent only to give Bagel the confidence to come out of hiding) along with a bowl of food (to calm him and hold his attention). Call him softly to provide a familiar sound and direction, then watch and listen closely from inside (DO NOT GO BACK OUT AFTER DARK!) and if you see Bagel approach and settle on the food be very careful not to startle him as you slowly and quietly provide a clear path back inside. If you can't wait up set an alarm and watch again just before sunrise -- it's a popular time to return. Please let me know what happens tonight and if he's not back by morning, I'll provide more detailed instructions. Also, although some suggest putting out kitty's litter box, EXPERTS WARN AGAINST IT. I've never used one in all the times I've been successful recovering a lost cat. Please read this to learn more about why it's neither necessary nor recommended: https://www.facebook.com/notes/lost-cats-georgia/why-we-dont-recommend-putting-your-lost-cats-litter-box-outside/1101245526665296/
Reply
Deborah N.
3 weeks ago
Diana Ellis
Reply

Help this alert reach more local people Help more people see this pet

Share this Facebook post with nearby friends, neighborhood groups, or anyone who may recognize Bagel. The more people share and engage with it, the more Facebook will show it to others nearby.

Open Facebook PostOpen Post
Post link https://www.facebook.com/FloridaLostPets/posts/1362283856102171
Pawboost White Dog Hero

JOIN THE

RESCUE

SQUAD

The Rescue Squad™ is a group of 7,670,480 pet lovers who have signed up for local lost & found pet alerts.

Join The Rescue Squad™

Contact Owner