Here are plenty of tips to act upon to help you find your missing cat. It is extremely upsetting when you cat goes missing, try not to panic. Put a plan into action to help your chances of finding your missing cat.
Step one - Do check your property, check all around the house in any hiding places such as the bottom of the wardrobe. Check outside in sheds and outbuildings, check inside your car as some cats often climb in when you are not looking. Check around bushes and shrubs and up trees. Call your cat in the local area, call out in your normal tone of voice, call around the local area as he may not be that far from home. Make sure you stop at listen as he maybe shut in a shed or garage, wall to back out gardens if possible. Many lost cats are found hiding in a local garden.
Step two - Ask neighbours to check sheds and garages, ask them when they last noticed your cat. Do they have any information to give you, you can always ask if you can search their gardens. Your cat maybe hiding in their garden but may not come to a stranger calling them.
Step three - Start a physical search in your local area, check the next street or two. Your cat could have been chased off his area by another cat or been scared by a fox. There are many reasons your cat may have gone missing. The best time to look for your cat is when it is starting to get get dark, check the local area by calling your cat. Take a torch with you as then you can check under cars and behind bushes. Do take your time searching, if your cat is injured he may take a time to respond to you. Early morning is also a good time to go out searching, do check your garden again in the morning as many cat travel home in the night and could be around your garden.
Step four - Make up some leaflets and posters. Hand your leaflets out to neighbouring households, it may be best to door knock as you hand out the leaflets as this helps created and emotional connection with your neighbours. To start with leaflet within 3 streets around your area, you can always take the leaflets further afield if you still do not find your cat in the local area. Put up clear posters, a good image of your cat with a telephone number you can be contacted on if someone notices your cat. Hand posters to local shops such as newsagents and local vets.
Step five - Get your cat on social media. Facebook is great for sharing, share on all local community groups and lost pets groups. Nextdoor app is also a great way to spread the information that your cat is missing. Share daily and keep your cat story up to date to encourage people to look out for your cat.
Step six - Email all local vets with your cats details and a clear photo, you can send details of your cat, age, description stating any distinguishing details about your cat. Call the vets every few days to keep in contact with them and keep them aware your cat is still missing.
Step seven - Make sure your cat microchip details are correct and up to date. Call your microchipping company and register your cat as missing.
Extra tips for finding your cat.
Leave your window or door open at night ( when dark) many cats travel back in the dark and may try to get inside at night. If you don't have a cat flap it would be advisable to leave access to your home at night if safe to do so.
Leave out a blanket, cats have a great sense of smell, equally leaving a window open as they can smell home from a distance. I DO NOT advise leaving litter or food outside, as this only encourages other cats/foxes to the area, This could stop your cat from coming back if a local bully cat is on your cats territory.
Do check if any properties in the area are empty as often get trapped inside, properties with cat flaps where they can get access inside but may not be able to get back outside.
Do check trees as often they climb a tree and get stuck and are to scared to venture back down.
Do not give up searching to soon, sometimes it takes weeks or months before your cat is sighted, keep sharing on social media, keep leafleting and keep communicating with local people.