Yarraville, VIC Lost Male Cat, Mavros Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Lydia T.

6 months ago

Stressful! Please be open to many possibilities. Research indicates many 'lost' cats are hiding (or locked in / trapped, prevented from returning home), frightened (especially if chased or injured), possibly disoriented, within about 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 become wedged in), why very thorough searches are required. I am aware of 100's of situations where a cat was accidentally locked in / trapped somewhere (eg in a neighbours shed, garage, holiday home, roof, crawl-space under a home / industrial building). Most somehow survived (eg by eating insects), many others didn't. 😞 Please thoroughly search through sheds, garages, under houses / buildings, bats, decks, neighbours' bins, skips, bushes, between tall walls and fences, roof and wall cavities, on top of rooves, in trees, vacant homes / buildings (even neighbours on holidays), construction / storage areas, etc. Ask neighbours to check cctv cameras. Don't trust neighbours to search!!! (Or at least not as thoroughly as you. Some don't search at all). Best ask permission to search yourself, or go with neighbour. If neighbours are unco-operative, suggest you might involve police to do a welfare check and to keep the peace. Alternatively, offer a reward for unco-operative / uncaring neighbours. 😞 Call down drains (with strong smelling food). If you can lift the grate and enter the drain, even better. (One cat found 500 metres, another 3km away in drain). And /or create a temporary, stable ramp (eg with rolled towels or a branch of wood) from inside to outside of the drain & leave strong food outside overnight. 10pm - 5am walks with strong smelling food (eg Whiskas sardines, salmon & meat flavours, or hot BBQ chicken) and a torch. When no cars: call calmly, stop, listen, wait. Leave a door open if safe, with strong smelling food (eg Whiskas cat food meat and fish flavour, sardines, BBQ chicken) inside & out overnight, near exit point. Also, in / near other possible hiding places / where might be trapped. If food eaten, set up a sensor wildlife camera to ensure it is your cat. Next night, try waiting nearby with food and a carrier ... Or if safe, gradually move the food into your yard / home and close door from behind (while cat is eating). As a last resort (lots can go wrong), place a humane cat trap on level ground, in a safe, discreet location. Google how to use safely, monitor closely. (Do not leave a trap unattended! Some people release distressed cats, or steal the trap with cat in it! Remain nearby). Put a towel over trap, to keep cat calm. Don't open until safe at home. Posters with reward high on telegraph poles / noticeboards. Leaflets (pay postman). Vets, pounds and animal welfare organisations, regularly with photo. Do all at previous address, if puss recently moved home. (One cat 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 to head back to previous home / territory. Most cats are escape artists until bonded to a new home! (eg breaking through mosquito netting and forcing sliding doors / windows open. Use dowell to limit opening more than 2cm). Spray bottle near door. 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, washing machines & dryers. (Always check inside before using, cats have in these :-( ). Be extra careful moving furniture! Behind / under kitchen cupboards & rangehoods, or any other spaces. Do all of the above many times (in case your cat moves around). Track down where any vehicles (eg tradies / removalist vans) which puss might have entered, call the driver to ask where travelled to. Check cctv cameras & do all of the above there. 😞 🙏 Please consider keeping your precious cat 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). 🙏 Not all vets are aware: microchips can migrate.(One cat's microchip recently located in arm pit!). Ideally, vets to do an extra thorough, all over body scan. (Don't solely rely on microchip).🙏 Be aware of dodgy scams or people offering to find, or claiming to have found, your cat. Seek independent evidence eg ask for photos or distinguishing features, do reviews, etc, before providing personal details or money). Don't give up searching (some cats found weeks, months, years later) ... 🙏

R K.

6 months ago

Knock on neighbours doors and put out flyers everywhere. Do offer rewards. Also go out in the night. You can hear him better then. Check the pounds too.

Claire A.

6 months ago

Early morning walk technique: There is a technique called the 3am walk that has worked for a lot of people who have found their pets. Displaced or scared cats will often remain in hiding and completely silent for most of the day and night. Even if it is close by and can hear you, it is unlikely your cat will respond. Because of this, the best time to head outside and call them is between 3-4am. It can vary between 2-6 am, whenever your area is most quiet. It may take a few nights of trying this method too. Most recently, a good number of people have found their cats just from doing a 3am walk and call. Your cat is most likely to respond and leave its hiding spot around this small window of quiet time. It only takes a couple of fence jumps to land streets away, so do your best to cover as many streets as you can. Hopefully your cat is only a house or two away from where it escaped. Tap a can calling your cats name or shacking the dry food bag calling their name and saying what you usually say to call them to dinner or breakfast time. Take a torch it is easier to see cats eyes shining out from the dark with a torch. Take a cat carrier for when you find your cat you can securely get them home. Leaflets and knocking on doors: Its also a good idea to ask neighbours if you can check their yards, sheds, garages and roof spaces. If you can give them a printed leaflet with a picture of your lost cat and your phone number. Leave these at shops etc too. Leaving the Kitty tray outside: Some suggest to leave it out to attract your cat back home with the scent. Which may work, but it's important to understand that the kitty tray may attract other cats, especially Tom Cats that will see this as a threat to their territory. The kitty tray method is designed to try and give the lost cat a scent they are familiar with to come back home. So if you suspect strays are around, be careful you're not making it harder for yours to get home safely. If you want to try leaving the litter outside, please note that the tray shouldn't be left out for too long and needs to be watched over. Same with leaving food, bedding and clothing out. Indoor cats: Indoor escape artists usually stick close to home and we often see a great outcome because of this...expect your cat to remain in hiding for most of the day and night. Displacement often changes the behaviour of cats. This means a normally vocal cat may keep quiet. Timid cats especially may spend some weeks in hiding before becoming visible. Even then, they are not likely to be seen during daylight. It is also unlikely that your cat will respond to being called during daylight. As a result, many people mistakingly believe their cat is no longer close by. An inside cat won't have gone too far. Start on your own property with a torch (even in the daylight, yes) and look under your house (if it is on stumps/piles) under any decking, under all vehicles, in the wheel arches, under upturned wheelbarrows, piles of iron, roofing tiles, underneath any outbuildings, dog kennel, wood piles, under or behind a garden shed, wheelie bins, inside skip bins, shipping containers, car boots or under the car bonnet. Under all garden shrubbery along driveways and footpaths. And then do the same with your near neighbours. Don't ask your neighbours to look, 'cos they probably won't. Ask them if you can look in their yards. Don't forget over the back fence too. Take your cat carrier with you, so when you find puss, pop straight into the carrier, so they don’t squirm out of your arms when carrying home. Don't forget to look up as well. If chased up a tree or on to a roof. Microchip: Check the microchip contact details are current. You can do this via your vet or online/over the phone with the registry. If you are unsure which registry you are with use the website petaddress.com.au enter the microchip number and it will tell you. Hope this helps. 😻

Tiziana L.

6 months ago

Ask neighbours to check all locked garages, sheds, cellars, have read that by putting out your clothes they may find there way home by scent🤞

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