Tips on Finding a Lost Cat

Wait Before Searching

First, wait at least an hour, and then check with your neighbors. Often, a good neighbor will recognize a local dog or cat roaming unescorted, and hold them until you come calling. It's okay to enlist the support of your neighbors by asking them to help you do a foot search, calling out your pet's name or squeezing its favorite noisy toy. Send the kids on the block out on their bikes. Post flyers with a photo and a reward.

Contact Area Pet Services

The next step is to call the local Animal Control Officer, ASPCA, rescue services, or your vet. Some people call a rescue service, which acts much like a municipal pet pound. They come and retrieve a hiding animal and bring them somewhere safe until the owner finds them. They may list them on their website or make other efforts to find the owner.

It's important to physically go to the local shelter. Your pet's description may not be enough to make a positive identification on the phone, so bring a photo with you. Animal shelters hold their charges for a limited time, so check on a regular basis.

Enlist a Pet Detective

If all else fails, it's time to call in an expert – find your own Ace Ventura. Pet detectives can be located through a web search or your phone book. They will post flyers for you, place ads on the Internet and in local papers, and deal with the reward or ransom, as needed. It was a pet detective that found Paris Hilton's Tinkerbell and I'm sure he got more than a room with a view for it.

Reuniting with Your Cat

Once your pet is located, take them to the vet to make sure they're healthy and hydrated. Be sure to get new name tags and collars. This would be a good time to consider an ID chip. It's a tiny under-the-skin implant the size of a grain of rice that contains all vital data regarding the ownership and health of your pet, and in some cases can be read in the field. Most vets and shelters have a reader.

Travel Tips

If you are traveling with a pet, make sure the pet and carrier are both labeled with your home address. Get a temporary tag and label it with the address, phone and a contact person for where you are going. If you are moving, put a friend's name and phone number from your old town on it. This way you are more apt to get your loved pet back.

Secure the Area to Prevent Escapes

To prevent future escapes, make sure your fences and gates are secure at all times. If you have children, you may want to get padlocks for your gates, just in case your pet is in the backyard. Sometimes kids coming and going, can let a pet out accidentally.

Previous Tips

• How to Handle Your Kitten or Cat
• Bringing a New Cat Home
• How to Pick a Vet
• How to Give a Cat a Pill
• Taking a Great Photo With Your Cat
• How to Clean a Cat’s Ears
• Making Your Own Air Freshener
• Cat Safety Tips
• Naming Your New Kitten or Cat
• Kitty Birthday Party
• Homemade Herbal Flea Collar
• Homemade Cat Toys
• Bringing a New Kitten Home
• Recipe for Homemade Cat Treats
• How To Make a Cat First Aid Kit