missing cat

shinytoaster

There_Goes_Trouble wrote: »

I have made a poster already, but haven't printed it yet - How soon should I print it? He's only been gone 3 hours! I don't know what to do.....

Do it now. I need to laminate the others and fasten them to lamp posts and the railings.

Let's hope we find our kitties soon

juliebunny

Sorry if this has already been posted but make sure you ring round local vets too.

I've helped to find a few missing cats, as a volunteer for a cat charity. I always find them in the evenings - I am really proud of my cat finding record - you have to really believe that you will find them and send your thoughts to them to come back to you - I don't care if this sounds stupid to non cat people.

Evening is when they will be hungry and come out if they are hiding. Also when the traffic has died down so they can hear you calling. Mind your personal safety though of course.

After you call them, give them time to repond.

My hearts and prayers go out to you both who are missing cats and I am sending you my homing vibes to help them come home.

When I was little our cat got into a builders van. My mum found out where the van had gone next and every night we went over there for about a week until we found him. My mum :A taught me patience and perserverance. And much much more....

EDIT - look up too when searching - I once found one of my very timid cats up a tree!! Actually, my other cats found him and just sat staring at him until I went over to investigate - if you have more cats, send them out and see where they go. They may find him..

shinytoaster

Thanks Juliebunny
I rang my vets and the two others in the local area yesterday. I left my contact details and a description but I need to ring them again tomorrow.
It's just so upsetting because he is my bebby. We took him in when no one else would, bottle fed him (he was a tiny 4 weeks old), fretted thinking he wouldn't see his first few nights through. I just want him home.

There_Goes_Trouble

I tried to ring the local vets earlier but they'd already closed. I'll call them first thing.

Am off out now to put some paper posters up so that people will see them before they go off to work in the morning. I'll do some laminated ones tomorrow at work. I'm hoping he's just stuck his nosey beak into someone's garage and got shut in, but I went round all the garages earlier calling and listening by each door and didn't hear him.

One of my neighbours cats was missing earlier too..... don't know if he's come home, but that would be too much of a co-incidence if not.

spookylukey

I know you have already done lots of these ideas but there's more hints and tips here.

Hope both your cats come home soon.

From http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,305.0.html :

Advice if you have lost your cat:-

Here are a few things to try:

1. Posters, Posters, Posters with picture and details with contact number.....hand out to neighbours and anyone you see. Put up in local shops, pubs and supermarkets. Stick to all local lamp posts. (If it rains go and collect them and replace however it's best to put posters in plastic wallets so if it rains they don't go all soggy - the neighbours and council don’t mind you putting them up so much that way). Also put one in your and friends cars - it amazing how many people see them this way. Make smaller flyers and push through every letterbox on your streets and the surrounding area. It is a good idea to offer a reward … of course this doesn’t have to be money … a box of cho-colates or a bunch of flowers is just as good.

2. Knock on doors and ask neighbours to check their sheds and garages WHILE YOU WAIT … it's surprising how many people say they will check but as soon as the door is closed they forget. Knock on 10 doors either side of your house on both sides of the street.

3. Check to see if there are any empty buildings for sale in the area. If there are it is worth checking with the estate agent in case they have shown someone round and shut the cat in. Also it is worth checking places where there may be builders in refurbishing a property in case the cat has got under the floorboards or in a cavity wall etc.

4. Look our for any abandoned vehicles, empty or semi-empty skips in case the cat has got in and can't get out.

5. Contact / check any community buildings where functions are held such as church halls, community halls etc. - in case your cat could be shut in a cupboard or toilet.

Please NOTE: The only authorised people who can break into a building if no one can be found to open it are the RSPCA but they are
not always co-operative. Even the police and fire brigade need RSPCA permission.

6. Register him lost at all vets/catteries/rescue homes within a 20mile radius. Follow the link and click on the map to find rescues in your area http://www.catchat.org/adoption/index.html

7. Leave food out and a toy of his.

8. Leave out an unwashed item of your clothing.

9. Put the contents of your hoover bag on your garden - it’s full of smells that they will recognise and if doesn’t bring him directly to your door will at least hopefully keep him in the area. Alternatively if you have a litter tray that has used put some of the used litter on the garden as this will have familiar smells in it.

10. Contact the local fire brigade and see if they have had to rescue any stuck cats.

11. Ask the local children to look - they are great for knowing all the local hidey-holes and love helping. Also have a word with your local post-person and milk man if there is one that delivers in your area. Also try and enlist the help of people walking dogs as they tend to go “off road” in the fields and parks.

12. Ask the local radio station to announce he’s missing and give out a contact number

13. Put an advert in the local paper

14. Contact your local environmental services dept (bin men) they keep a log of all animals picked on the roadside ... I know this is not a pleasant call to make and hopefully it will come back as negative.

15. Go out after dark when it is quieter with a friend / partner and walk round the local area gently calling every so often (give him a chance to answer you). Keep talking as you walk round that way if he is in the area he will hear you.

16. When you talk to vets and rescues, ask them about any known local feral colonies and where they are based. If Kitty has been missing for more than a few days s/he might have wandered further afield and might be “hanging round” near a colony for security (safety in numbers) and company. If vets/rescues know locations of colonies, these might be useful to get some ideas of where to start looking.

17. If you have Pet Insurance check your policy to see if they will assist with advertising costs or reward costs for a lost cat. Some policies cover as much as £1000 of local advertising and upto £500 reward.

18. Email the lost poster to all the people you know who live in the area and ask them to forward to others they know. This is a quick way to get your poster circulated.

19. IMPORTANT - if your pet is microchipped contact your chipping company straight away and let them know your pet is missing and check all your details are uptodate and correct. This will ensure that if found you are reunited with your little one as quickly as possible.

20. Use the local groups for your area that are on social networks (facebook / bebo / myspace / etc). Local politicians, sports clubs, etc. all have Facebook presences.

21. Try downloading a "meow" ringtone to your phone and when you are walking round play the ringtone .... you may find you start to attract lots a feline friends so please be very careful if you are near roads ... cats and cars are not a good mix. Ringtone here: http://www.zedge.net/ringtones/0-0-1-meow/?searchphr=meow&searchcat=ringtones&sug-search=0


Finally have a look at these other sites - they are all EXCELLENT

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk

http://www.catchat.org/forum.html

http://www.mymoggy.com/ contact Sue at mymoggy.

http://thehovel.com/bb/index.php?f=28&ppage=20&sort=lastpost&order=DESC

http://nationalpetregister.org

http://www.soyouhavelostyourcat.co.uk/#1

http://www.petsearchuk.co.uk/lost_and_found_pets.php

http://www.amissingpet.co.uk/lostandfound.html

http://www.animalsearchuk.co.uk

http://pet-rescue.org.uk/forums/index.php?showforum=447

http://www.lostmycat.org/index.php

http://www.animalrescuers.co.uk/html/lostfound.html

http://www.foundandlostpets.co.uk/

http://www.petsmiles.com/v1/found.php

http://www.reportlostpets.co.uk/


Also don't forget to check ad websites, such as.....

www.friday-ad.co.uk

www.adtrader.co.uk

www.uk.freeads.net

www.classifieds.co.uk

and also your local rescue shelter/s websites too!


Good luck and stay positive.

Hopefully your little one has just got itself shut in a shed somewhere.


And finally ……. IMPORTANT NOTE: When you get your furbabe back remember to remove ALL the posters and inform all vets / rescues / websites etc that they are home.

GSXR6

I hope you get your little fella back. I have two cats at one has gone missing a couple of times. last time he was stuck in a garage. They are both trained to come home to my whistle, so I walked the local raods whistling and heard him meoowing frantically from a garage.
+1 for taking your food container and rattling it too.
Keep us posted!

There_Goes_Trouble

He's back!!!!!!

I stayed up late in case he came back, went to bed at two but got up early to ring vets and to try and catch the neighbours as they went off to work and check their garages, and he was curled up in the conservatory!!!

Shinytoaster I am waiting for you to come back with similar news...

I've been out and taken last nights posters down.

Thank you all so much for your help and support, especially Spookylukey's fantastic post packed full of advice! I shall be saving that in the hope that I never need to read it again.

tattyuk75

I'm so glad he is back, what brilliant news!!!!

One of my cats has been missing for three years so I understand how you felt completely.

GSXR6

Great news, its a nice feeling when they turn up safe and sound All this probably sounds like madness to non pet owners, but if you love your pets they are part of the family!

missmontana

are you on Facebook? post a link on there with a pic and ask friends to share it. Its amazing how far they can get! Hope he turns up soon x