It is very heartbreaking to come home and realize that your cat is nowhere to be found. I have lost a cat and she had 2 weeks old kittens. It was very hard to raise those kittens without their mother.
If you too have lost your cat, I can understand what you are going through. The suggestions that I’ve mentioned in this post are based on my experiences and I hope it helps you in some way.
Follow these suggestion step by step and hopefully you’ll be able to find your lost cat in no time.
Step 1: Don’t Panic
Cats are very good at hiding and if your lost cat has suddenly vanished from your house and is nowhere to be found then don’t panic.
Wait for few hours, maybe your cat is out for a walk or a hunt. Cats are born hunters and they get fascinated by birds, mice, lizards and can follow them for long hours to catch them.
Cats like solitude and maybe he/she is just relaxing somewhere inside or outside the house where no one can disturb them.
Step 2: Always start searching from home
If it’s been few hours and your cat still hasn’t shown up, panicking won’t solve anything. As I said, cats are very good at hiding and are very fond of small cozy places to sleep, so you should start your search from your home.
Start calling your cat everywhere around your house. Look for it in every corner of your house, under the bed, in the cupboard, under the couch, or at every place where your cat can hide while calling its name.
Carry its favorite treats with you. If it’s not inside the house, then look for it nearby the house, call out its name loudly while looking at the place close to the house where it can hide. Carefully look in all the places because a cat can sneak in almost everywhere.
My Story:
A few months ago, our cat went missing. We thought it ran out on the road or at any of our neighbor’s houses because it was nowhere to be seen inside the house.
We locked the house and went out to find our missing cat but the cat was nowhere to be found. We thought we have lost our cat to a road accident or any of its predators.
We came back home with a heavy heart but suddenly heard our cat’s frightful meows. She was trapped inside the house in the cupboard full of comfortable quilts and blankets, hungry and very frightened.
So it’s very important to look for your cat inside the house first.
Step 3: Call neighbors and friends for help
If your cat is nowhere to be found within proximity of your house, then call your neighbors and friends for help. Ask them whether they have seen your cat and request them to look for your cat in and nearby their homes.
You can personally go and take permission to find your cat on their property.
If more people find out that your cat is missing and you are very worried about its safety and well-being, surely they will do as much as possible to find your cat and inform you if they find any trace of your lovely little pet.
Step 4: Midnight is the best time to look for your cat
The best time to look for your lost cat is late at night when everyone’s at their homes, the traffic is less, and no noise. Your voice can be heard very clearly. Call for your cat in a very soothing and comforting voice.
If she got scared of a predator or any other human attacking it, she’ll most probably come out after hearing your calm and familiar voice.
During this time, you can also hear your cat’s voice easily, since it’s a lot silent during the night time and early morning. You can also identify your cat when the flashlight hits its eyes and its little beautiful eyes glow in the dark because of the flashlight.
You’ll also not face any sort of disturbance from noise, people, and crowds in the nighttime. That’s why it is easier to find your cat at night time.
Step 5: Put some food and water outside your door
The next best thing to do in case you are unable to find your cat is to don’t lose hope. Grab some of your worn sweaty clothes or shoes and keep them at the place outside the house from where their scent can travel at nearby places.
Your lost cat can smell your scent and come back home following that scent. If you are lucky enough and your cat is hiding in the neighborhood it will come back home.
So keep some of its favorite treats or food, some water, some warm clothes, and sheets outside the house. It will keep the cat fed and warm if it comes back late at night.
Step 6: Contact Animal Helpline or Animal Rescue Centre
There are chances that someone has already found or rescued your cat and has sent your cat to a nearby animal shelter or animal lost and found center.
Reach out to the animal rescue center and inform them about your lost pet. They will help you to find your cat or they will hand over your cat to you if they have already found your cat.
It is better to take some professional help. They will do their best to bring your cat back to you safely as soon as possible.
Step 7: Reach out to the larger community
If all the other steps have failed to get results, the only option left is to create a ‘missing’ campaign. Find some good and clear photos of your cat, so that anyone can identify your cat through those pictures.
Make some missing posters of your cat with its clear picture and some specifications about your cat and paste those posters all over the public places.
Put up a post about your missing cat with some pictures on your social media handle and ask your friends to share that post as much as possible. You can also add some cash reward for the person who will find your missing cat.
As they say “The More The Merrier”. It will be easier to find your cat when more and more people know about your situation.
At last, I just want to say that don’t lose hope too early. Keep calm and be patient, your baby cat will be with you soon. Follow these basic steps and keep looking.
There is no guarantee that you’ll find your cat but the important thing is that you gave it your all and have no regrets.