Rachel G.
2 years ago
From lots of personal exp, found that if a tame indoor cat finds itself outside alone in an unfamiliar situation who isn't used to being outside, they will usually be EXTREMELY scared & will seek the nearest place where they can hide (normally within 1 block of their home) & will not move from that hiding area for several days. They WILL NOT come out of hiding if they hear your voice or even see you within 2' because they are hiding for their life from unknown predators that may be nearby. However, some kitties who tend to be friendly around strangers will approach people they see to get their attention & will show signs that they are a pet that is lost or was abandoned. Many people will take them inside to keep them safe. If they think it is lost, many will make the effort to try to help find its owner. But many will assume it was abandoned if it doesn't have a collar on or has a microchip & won't put out info that they found an unfamiliar friendly kitty & will sometimes keep it, re-home it, or bring to shelter. So it's a good idea to tape your missing kitty flyer on outside of every mailbox within a 2 block area asap. If it's still outside in the area, I found best way to find them is wait till it's dark & quiet outside & walk the neighborhood with a bright flashlight. Shine the light under bushes, decks, raised platforms, anywhere they could hide from unknown possible predators and protect their flanks . When the light from the flashlight hits an animals eyes, they shine very brightly & can then easily see where an animal is that otherwise probably wouldn't be able to see in the dark or daylight. When you do see reflected light from an animals eyes, approach cautiously because it might not be your kitty. Thankfully, when a light hits their eyes, they typically stay where they are & don't move. Approach quietly while softly saying the pets name. If it isn't your kitty, it will tend to dart away when you get within a cpl feet. If it is your kitty, it will remain silent w/o any movement & should allow you to pick it up & take it home. They tend to stay in the first hiding spot they find for at least 4-7 days & won't even leave it for short times to search for food from fear of possible predators. WHERE TO LOOK: When they find themselves in an unfamiliar location outside & alone they will try to make themselves as invisible as possible while desperately searching for the NEAREST place they can hide. So look at where they got out for nearest solid wall or row of bushes or something similar that they could keep next to in order to not be as visible & to try to protect at least one side of their body while searching for NEAREST place to hide. Follow that path & shine flashlight at any nearby area that the kitty could hide itself & be able to watch its surroundings for any predators or other animals that might approach its hiding area. They won't go into neighbors back yards unless that path goes that direction & they haven't found a closer place. When searching at night around the neighborhood, be careful to keep the light from your flashlight at ground level & not shining into your neighbors windows. Also good idea to wear bright colored clothing & keep face visible when searching after dark & try to stay on sidewalk or edge of road so that if someone notices a flashlight being shone on their property, your clothing & behavior will help them realize you are looking for your pet.
Do not put their litter box outside by doorway! That would attract other wildlife there & if kitty does come home on its own, if it sees unfamiliar animals it will run away from the area & find another hiding place.
I've had the most success in searching after dark between 11-1 & 3-4:30 am because that's when a hiding, scared kitty will tend to emerge just a little bit from deep within their hiding area while still remaining hidden from view in order to better access their surroundings & potential nearby dangers. When it's noisy out they will tend to get as far back from the entrance of their hiding area as possible to mininize chances of being seen & attacked. When noises from human activity gets close it will then tend to go back deeper into the hiding area again & remain there until it's once again dark & quiet. It's while they are closer to the hiding entrance that a flashlight beam might reach them & the reflection from their eyes wil show us where they are & we can then hopefully bring them safely back home where they belong.
Suggest focus initial search within 1 block of where they got out because that's where most are found. But if not seen in that area, expand search area because if chased when they were outside, they may have gone further before they found place to escape & hide in.
Prayers for the quick & safe return of your missing kitty.
