Reunited Male Cat in Portland, OR 97210 (ID: 69996708)

Anthony W.

3 months ago

Alyssa Horning Shared Portland

Luann W.

3 months ago

Shared 🙏🐾

Misty C.

3 months ago

THE BEHAVIOR OF INDOOR CATS WHO ESCAPE OUTSIDE! (And How to find them!) DO: START NOW Locate the escape point. From their your cat would have darted to the left or to the right and hid in the first best spot he finds. Experts say cats will follow the direction of the wind. *😿*♥️ THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING you can do is PHYSICALLY SEARCH ON FOOT AT NIGHT WITH BRIGHT FLASHLIGHTS!😸💙 In the first days and weeks an escaped cat is most likely hiding in silence, often not far from the escape point, and they will not meow! It is because cats are territorial and their primary protective measure from predators is to hide in silence. Cats that are afraid (and cats that are injured) will seek areas of concealment such as under a deck, under a house, under a porch, or in heavy brush and they will not meow! Meowing would give up their location to a predator. MOST ESCAPED CATS WILL NOT COME TO YOU EVEN IF THEY HEAR YOU CALLING! Their behavior has nothing to do with whether he loves you, it just a fact that the most loving, friendliest cats who comes when called by name indoors become so frightened outside that they will hide in silence! The physical search for an escaped cat needs to focus within your immediate neighborhood! In a study of escaped indoor only cats, 90% were found within a one block radius on a neighbor's property. You may think walking around handing flyers to neighbors and asking them to “search” for your cat IS NOT ENOUGH! WHY? Because they are not going to get down on their hands and knees or belly to look under their porch, house, sheds, bushes, etc as thoroughly as you will and yet this is where he is likely to be! It is up to YOU to find YOUR cat! DO NOT let your fear of what your neighbor will think or say if you ask to search their yard…your cat’s LIFE MAY DEPEND ON YOU!! Getting permission from your neighbor to search their property is critical! You MUST bring BRIGHT flashlights-this can reveal a kitty's hiding spot since the light will make their eyes glow! So take the flashlight and look under and in bushes, porches and under and up and under cars, because remember, you will likely have to physically go in/under to retrieve him. You need to look low, get on knees or even belly if you have to to look while shining the flashlight. CALL CATS NAME OR NOT? I thought it's a good idea when you are out looking for kitty day or night, after every several steps, to call kitty's name then be quiet and still for at least 20 seconds every minute or 2 because the cat may meow if trapped somewhere where his or her meow might be very, very faint. However, "Experts" say not to call the cats name at all because as far as poor kitty is concerned right now, everything is a threat including you. Calling his name could lead a predator to him in a cat's mind. It's hard to believe a terrified cat would not come running to their beloved owner if they heard their owner calling them, but they say that only dogs do that and it's simply not the behavior of an escaped indoor only cat. It's up to you but keep in mind it might keep you from finding your cat. 😽 IF YOU HAVEN'T FOUND YOUR CAT AFTER 10 to 14 DAYS MAKE YOUR SEARCH TIME BETWEEN 2AM AND SUNRISE! "THE THRESHOLD FACTOR" This is when escaped cats reach their threshold of being so hungry and thirsty that they will come out of hiding in search for food and water. This could take days or even two weeks, some longer! When they reach their threshold it is BETWEEN 2 Am and SUNRISE when they come out of hiding to do so. This is because it's the quietest time so cats have a little less fear, that is, if they're really hungry the more apt they are to come out of hiding during this time. Sadly, this is also the most common times for coyotes to go hunting but our poor lost kitties don't know this.. DON'T: *DON'T search for him farther than a 3-4 house radius the first 10-14 days unless You live in an area where there are not many hiding places close by. You will likely be wasting time that needs to be spent looking close not farther than that. *DON'T go driving around the neighborhood looking-you won't find him hiding place this way. *DON'T Put his litter box out.. This is a myth it brings your escaped indoor only kitty home. He is hiding nearby and doesn't need a scent to lure him home. Coyotes smell it and think a kitty snack is nearby. You put your cats life in danger and all cats outside. It also attracts neighborhood feral cats who are VERY territorial. Two things can happen. The feral cat can spray or get their scent on the litter box and your cat will never come near when they smell another cat. The feral cat can then smell out your cats hiding place and attack him *DON'T think that he must be gone for good and it is a waste of time to continue looking! Many owners think that because they didn't see their cat when looking, that it means the cat is gone and not there and they stop looking. Cats are very sed at hiding and can contort their bodies to fit in the smallest places! THE NUMBER ONE MISTAKE OWNERS MAKE IS THINKING THE CAT IS GONE FOREVER BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FIND THEIR CAT IN THE DAY OR SEE THEM AT NIGHT AND THEY GIVE UP THE PHYSICAL SEARCH TOO SOON! DO: Make flyers with pics then tape to BIG FLORESCENT POSTER BOARD with big bold writing and hang them around the neighborhood. Post missing cat ads with his pic on Pawboost, Humane Society, Facebook groups like Multnomah County missing dogs and cats, and two places on Craigslist under Community Pets and Community Lost and Found check the found cats on those sites as well. You can check this site for found cats DAILY because they only keep cats 3 days: https://www.multcopets.org/found-reports?found%5B0%5D=species%3ACat (and post lost ads with kitty's pic there too And https://www.dovelewis.org/community/found-pets There will be a lot of people with good intentions giving you the wrong advice. This is because to find an INDOOR ONLY cat that got outside, you've got to learn the behavior patterns of an Indoor only kitty that got outside which is very different than a lost indoor/outdoor cat or dog.

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Alyssa H.

3 months ago

Sydell Voeller thank you!

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Sydell V.

3 months ago

I’m so sorry your fur baby is missing. I’m posting a few tips to help you find him, and I realize that perhaps you’ve already tried some of them. (But hopefully there’s still a point or two you’ll find helpful.) Please put his bed/blanket or an unwashed article of your clothing outside, the scent will help him find his way home. (Experienced rescues advise not to use the cat litter box as it can attract predators and aggressive cats.) If he’s an indoor only kitty, he’s probably close but hiding. Check under the house, porches, and in sheds and garages, anywhere he may be trapped. Ask your neighbors to do the same. If he’s not home by tonight, search under bushes and shrubs with a flashlight, his eyes will reflect the light and you'll be able to see him. Best time to search is late night and early morning. Call his name softly and gently shake a treat bag. Post on Pawboost and LostMyKitty, excellent additional resources that can assist you in creating and printing posters and flyers to distribute throughout your neighborhood. Finally, be sure to file your kitty as “lost” with your local shelter, Multnomah County Animal Services, 503 988-7387. Send a photo to them, if possible. Many people don’t use social media, so the shelters are often the first place they turn to. Last not least, beware of lost pet scammers. They seem to be popping up on people’s posts a lot lately. All my best wishes for a speedy reunion.