Lost Cats
Losing a cat can be a hard thing to go through for any pet parent. Not knowing what to do can make it even worse! It is crucial to act fast and get signs up as soon as you can. Your signs should be simple, no one is going to be able to read paragraphs of text especially if they are driving by.
Use a large font and a bright color to grab attention, make sure once placed, you drive by or walk past to make sure it is easy to read from the viewing spot!
Adding information stating that the animal is Microchipped is important and shows the animal is cared for, as well as date and place last seen.
Something to Consider
When searching for a lost cat, it is important to first consider whether it is an indoor-only cat, a displaced cat, or an outdoor-access cat. A displaced cat is one that is lost in an unfamiliar territory due to various reasons like getting out of its carrier at a vet clinic, escaping from a car while traveling, or leaving its home shortly after a move. Different strategies are required to find lost indoor-only cats as compared to outdoor-access cats that haven't returned home yet.
The three biggest mistakes made by lost cat owners are;
Delaying the search in the hopes that the cat will come home, start looking immediately!
Giving up too soon. Don't give up, some cats have been reunited years later!
Using ineffective search strategies.
It's essential to start searching immediately and not wait for too long as cats can take weeks or even months to reunite. It's crucial to use effective search strategies to find your cat. To avoid wasting time using ineffective methods, you can use the flowchart from Community Cat Coalition.
Indoor Access
This is a wonderful chart to follow for Indoor Only kitties, from Community Cat Coalition.
Please be absolutely sure your pet really is missing before you leave an exit point window or door open. It is heartbreaking to think your fur baby is missing, hoping to leave a way for them to come back, only to find they were asleep in a closet and run out an intentionally open window or door!