Oviedo, FL Lost Male Cat, Leo Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Nadeem N.

2 months ago

Diana Ellis Thank you Diana, I'll be sure to do that. We're trying to keep the hope alive. It's been tough since we've been going out and looking and passing flyers and checking neighbors' yards non-stop for a week now and haven't come up with anything. There have been several sightings of Siamese cats but one was an outdoor cat that belonged to a resident farther up in the neighborhood and another one was a stray that I've seen around and confirmed were not Leo. We will also call around some shelters/animal clinics tomorrow just to check around. I forgot to mention that on the day he got out, one of our neighbors caught him on their camera in their front yard right away. He hung around another neighbors' car in their driveway, and when the mail man drove by, it shows him sprinting across their yards back to our driveway and hiding under our car, before going into some bushes. And that was the last sign of him. He is just over a year old and we've had him for about 7 months, so I'm assuming that is enough time for him to know his home/territory. It seems that way with the way he ran back to our house initially. But to not see any signs of him yet is disheartening. We're trying to keep the hope alive as we've talked to many others who have said their cats returned or they found them weeks, sometimes months later.

Diana E.

2 months ago

Nadeem Najda, if stray cats or critters are approaching the house, they could keep Leo from returning. Tonight, place cat food at the perimeter of your property to keep the strays satisfied and occupied and away from the food intended for Leo. Also, put marshmallows, scraps or dog food at the bases of trees for the critters. If you can clear Leo's path home, he should return when he believes it's safe to do so.

Nadeem N.

2 months ago

Diana Ellis Sadly no 😞. Though we did notice the cat food we put out inside the garage and on the patio were eaten. The food by the front door was untouched. We're not 100% sure who it was but we did notice an opossum walking around our backyard last night. We've also had two other stray cats come around in the past that I recently trapped and let go. We're trying to install more cameras to be sure.

Diana E.

2 months ago

Nadeem Najda, did anything happen overnight?

Nadeem N.

2 months ago

Thank you Diana. We have cameras now fixated on the outside front door/garage, and the side door inside the garage. Trying to get a couple more cameras set up. And we've left food on the patio in front of the door coming into the house, food by the front door and food inside the garage. We're leaving the doors open for now while we're awake and monitoring and will close them when we go to bed and monitor as long as possible.

Diana E.

2 months ago

Nadeem Najda, I mean leave food only at the points of escape you're monitoring -- side door and door leading inside from the screened patio. With the garage you'll simply leave both doors cracked open. You told me he escaped from one of those three places. It's not a matter of bugs flying in, but if you leave doors open, any sound coming from the house could cause Leo to hesitate. Although this sometimes works, I've had better success leaving the doors closed and watching from inside, then opening it for kitty when he settles on the food. Please keep me updated.

Nadeem N.

2 months ago

Diana Ellis Yes all of the neighbors' dogs are kept indoors in the evening and at night except for one whose dog is allowed to roam free in their backyard. Unfortunately that particular neighbor isn't very accommodating. When you say don't leave food out indiscriminately, do you mean don't leave food in multiple places or don't leave food out all day and night? Because we're not *exactly* sure where he got out from. We've also put up mosquito/fly mesh nets that open when you go through them so we can leave our doors open without bugs flying in, given we're all in Florida. Would that be too much of a change in environment that might confuse him and push him away?

Diana E.

2 months ago

Nadeem Najda, the dogs would certainly make him hesitate -- are they kept inside after dark, or would your neighbors cooperate and keep them indoors for a night so you can try this strategy? I don't believe someone has taken Leo because he's likely too scared to show himself to a stranger and if they approached him he'd probably run away. Regarding how he got out, I understand the issue. The rationale for leaving food at his point of escape is to calm Leo and hold his attention so you can see him and open the door to let him inside, so you don't want to leave it outside indiscriminately (at least not yet). In your situation at dusk I would crack open the garage door and set the opener (if you have one) to close with the next press (in case you have to trap him inside) and leave the door leading into the house cracked open also. If Leo left via the garage, he should retrace his steps and make his way inside so you can focus on his other possible points of entry. I would also crack open the patio door and place food at the door which leads inside, and also leave a familiar but inconuous blanket or pillowcase at the side door with a bowl of food also. If he comes to the porch he may stay longer so you'll have time to let him inside when you see him there -- this way you can focus on the side door and watch for him to return. Now, Leo would only attempt to return after dark, so remaining indoors is critical. Pickup anything outside that wasn't there when he left (with the exception of the familiar blanket and food at the side door) so his path back home looks exactly as it did when he got out (this includes the traps which you may eventually have to deploy, but not until you know better where to place them). Also, if stray cats are coming close to the house place food for them out in the open (at the perimeter of your property) to keep them away from Leo's approach home. Please try this -- also searching SILENTLY during the daytime, even where you've already looked. Once you understand that Leo's survival instinct has instructed him not to respond to you and perhaps even to run from you, you become much better at trying to figure out where he may be hiding. And if you identify his hiding spot DO NOT approach if he appears ready to run -- it's better to leave him where he is than risk scaring him farther away -- and if you do get hold of him, pinch his scruff and do not let go until he's safely contained (escaped cats have the tendency to struggle). I hope this helps. Please let me know how it goes. I look forward to some good news.

Nadeem N.

2 months ago

Diana Ellis Hi Diana, thank you so much for all this advice. So the hard part is we don't exactly know how Leo got out. We live on a cul-de-sac and on the day of his escape, we saw him on the camera cut across our neighbor's front lawn and into another neighbor's driveway, before running back to our driveway and into our front bushes. He may have gotten out when a side door got loose from the wind or perhaps under the garage door (we sometimes let him hang out with us in the garage with the door slightly ajar on the bottom so he can see outside). We also let him hang out in our screened-in pool patio in the backyard. Would you recommend us to leave bowls of food in multiple places like the garage door, front door, back patio too? Many of our neighbors also have dogs. Two neighbors to the side of us, two neighbors directly behind us, and others on the cul-de-sac. Many of them are big and loud German Shepherds. Would he be avoiding those? We've been putting out a trap in the last two days with wet food that he likes and covered it in a used shirt of mine so he could feel comfortable, but we instead caught two other stray cats that hang out around this area. What do you recommend if there are stray cats around? I'm worried he's too scared to come back because he feels he's in their territory. We'll follow what you say about staying indoors after dark, although some of the advice we've seen recommended going out late at night as that's when cats are active. I've been going out late at night, shaking his treats bag and quietly calling his name with a flashlight in case I see some shining eyes, but I'll stop doing that now. We have 4 loud children so I'm scared all the screaming and noise is keeping him away too. My only fear is if someone nearby has taken him into their home. I've passed out flyers with his pictures and my contact info so I'm hoping no one would do such a thing.

Gina P.

2 months ago

Shared on Orlando, FL - Lost Dogs, Cats & Pets - PawBoost and CONWAY CRITTERS