Wilmington, NC Lost Female Cat, Rigby Is Missing

Chris L.

2 years ago

Shared

Rita B.

2 years ago

Cats don’t go far unless picked up or hitched a ride, search and scent are key to finding them

Rita B.

2 years ago

So sorry, please read tips and watch video! Indoor only or they have outdoor access? Tips below for both! They act different when lost! Indoor are very close within 3-7 houses (50 yards) but an outdoor has ran and could be up to 17 houses (345 yards) away and stuck and lost! Tips below for both! CATS DON’T GO FAR unless picked up or hitched a ride from where they were lost...Be as proactive as possible and SEARCH NOW AND DONT GIVE UP! **If Chipped, be sure it is up to date! ** The tips below come from rescuers, pet trackers and MAR class graduates. There is a VOLUNTEER group and a TRACKER at the bottom of these tips that can help if needed! Key to getting your cat back: SEARCHING, POSTERS, FEEDING STATION, SCENT, CAMERA AND TRAP! (See Details on all this below) INDOOR ONLY CAT TIPS (skip this section if outdoor cat) INDOOR CATS and Cats in unfamiliar area are scared and normally are within 3-7 houses (50 yards) but hiding in silence. BUT DO A THOROUGH CHECK INSIDE. Unless you saw it get out, it could be inside hiding (behind appliances, drawers, box springs etc) CATS can hide in silence for up to 14 days! Search up to 7 houses (50 yards) away with a high-power flashlight at dark looking for eyes, shaking a treat bag, calling name or any sound they are familiar and comfortable with. OUTDOOR ACCESS CAT TIPS INDOOR-OUTDOOR CATS are normally within 17 houses (345 yards). Something has happened in their territory for them to run. There’s a 90% chance they are “STUCK” somewhere between your house and the next 17 houses. SEARCH NOW EVERY PLACE A CAT CAN GO IN before it’s too late! When an indoor/outdoor cat is lost it is considered an emergency. Cats do not run away from home as dogs tend to do. It means that something has happened to upset the cat’s routine. It could be that it was scared of by a noise or predator and possibly stuck somewhere and not able to get freed or lost! Search up to 17 houses (345 yards) away with a high-power flashlight at dark looking for eyes, shaking a treat bag, calling name or any sound they are familiar and comfortable with. FOR BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR Look under/in steps, porches, decks, vacant buildings, sheds, drainage pipes, culvert pipes, shrubs and bushes, abandoned homes, neighbors' garages, crawl spaces, wheel walls on cars - any place a cat could hide. Best to go out at dark with high power flashlight, looking for their eyes, shake treats or smelly food like tuna, call in normal tone, listen for them, let them come to you. Cats hide in silence up to 14 days! THEY MAY NOT MEOW! Check neighbors’ areas too with permission! BUT YOU DO THE SEARCHING, THEY WILL NOT SEARCH AS GOOD AS YOU! LEAVE gates, porches, garage doors open so they are able to get back in! Can you leave door open where they got out safely? If you have a garage, leave it open slightly with feeding station set up and camera. Do you have another cat that they live with? Try recording their meows to take with you when searching. This helped one lost cat come home! PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO ASAP TO GET ON THE FAST TRACK TO BECOMING A KNOWLEDGEABLE SEARCHER: How to Find a Lost Cat: https://youtu.be/g2eCoC63B9I (1) SEARCH TO ENSURE THEY ARE NOT STUCK SOMEWHERE! See above based on being indoor or outdoor on how far you should search. (2) NOTIFY Animal Control, file a report and GO IN PERSON TO SHELTER checking all cats every 2 days (3) ADS: www.lostmykitty.com,use free option - will send a fax blast to closest vets, shelters in your area. Craigslist, Facebook for your county and state sites such as: https://www.facebook.com/LostFoundDogs.NC/ ( it says dogs but they post all pets) and https://www.facebook.com/groups/769692416445474/, Nextdoor.com (be sure to use the universal option to share pet post everywhere), pawboost.com, petharbor.com, http:/trianglelostpets.org petango.com, https://www.helpinglostpets.com/ https://www.tabbytracker.com local newspaper *YOU CAN ALSO BOOST YOUR FACEBOOK POST TO GET IT TO MORE PEOPLE (COST SOME TO DO THIS) (4) CONTACT local vets, groomers, pet stores, local rescues. (5) NOTIFY NEIGHBORS by making flyers (4 to a page) and handing out to all neighbors, delivery people in your area (mail carrier, fed ex, etc) and one in a sandwich ziploc bag with a few pebbles in it for weight and toss by mailbox Go to local and surrounding post offices and see if you can put Flyers up so all carriers in area are aware! (6) POSTERS - GET THEM OUT ASAP! Poster sized neon signs at all the intersections in all directions for 3-7 houses or 50 yards for indoor and 17 house or 345 yards for outdoor radius. Make them big, bold and neon! Place one in yard, businesses in area, tag your car. Use sheet protectors to keep dry, use this Flyer template here: https://search.petfbi.org/flyer.html (7) FEEDING STATION/SCENT TO LURE HOME: Buy several cans of mackerel and drain the juice into a spray bottle. Add several ounces of water to the mixture and select the "stream" setting. Spray the upper branches of trees and bushes in the area leading up to and around the food station. You can use can cat food and smear on trees and on ground leading back toward your food station setup. The smell can help lure to the food station. Repeat every 2 days unless it rains. If it rains, spray again when rain stops. Set up a food station with a bowl consisting of "stinky" food - sardines, canned cat food, boneless cooked chicken, etc. and a bowl of water and a camera. Position the camera so that you can see the food on camera to see who is eating. Also, leave a scent item of yours such as a stinky pair of socks, dirty shirt, shoes close to the food station. Once spotted on camera, buy or borrow a humane trap and cover with something like a dirty sheet and camouflage with some sticks, leaves on it. (8) HANG out worn clothing, blankets, etc with your scent on it, their bedding to help them smell their way home, hang high in air so wind catches it! (9) CAT CONSULTATION with this cat search expert: Kim Freeman/Lost Cat Finder https://www.lostcatfinder.com *GATHER A PET SCENT ITEM TO STORE (in case you decide on a track later if spotted): Put on gloves, gather scented item from your pet, if it’s a big bed or something big, wipe down with some cotton gauze and place the toy and/or gauze into plastic bag and place in freezer. Place pet name and date on bag! More great tips here: https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-cat-behavior/ Try calling Tracey, she is a volunteer who is MARS trained and can possibly give some advice: https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/mar-directory/cppi-piedmont-region/?fbclid=IwAR0x-NskTgDFEr-BmKIHEmfqu9IBvgRazJga2sd1givctMspPwt-NrHaI3s Here is the link to a volunteer group who can help you plan your search at no charge, Missing Animal Response trained: https://www.facebook.com/LARGcares/ Contact to track or consultation: https://www.facebook.com/TheFelineFinders/ An awesome tracker is Balynda Brown, 919-418-7953 a tracker with her dog, Bravo who can help with a recovery plan and help with effective flyers, to get started fill this form out: https://bravok911.com/tell-us-about-your-pet Here is the link to a volunteer group who can help you plan your search at no charge, Missing Animal Response trained: https://www.facebook.com/LARGcares/ When you spot them, don’t chase, try this: https://www.animalwised.com/how-to-approach-a-scared-cat-2515.html?fbclid=IwAR0lYxG9AaYNGkOOPLRHHZK9o4gT1QPRP-Z8ibmhy4IXgq1JX-t5rivT5D8 GO TO THE SHELTER AND CHECK FOR THEM ..about 85% of pets that are adopted from shelters are strays and their owners never came for them...