How To Find A Lost Kitty

Our indoor kitten, Kimchi, recenty ran away from home. In a little break from our focus on food, here are our Top Ten ways to find a lost kitty, in hopes that it might some day help you to find your own little runaway.

How to Find a Lost Kitty

1. Most often, you will find your cat within a couple of houses adjacent to or behind yours.

2. Search garages, sheds, basements, crawl spaces repeatedly.

3. Call the cat’s name but don’t expect her to answer. When scared, kitty will remain as quiet as possible. Calling her name may still be a comfort, and there’s the possibility she’ll let out an inadvertent tiny squeek, as Kimchi finally did.

4. Bring a flashlight: catching the light in his eyes is how we located Kimchi.

5. Put things with your and her scent on them outside your door. Apparently, cats can detect this from miles away. (I know, but that’s what the microchip folks told me.) If it’s not being used by another pet, put their litter box outside, or else some litter in a bag. Big yucky draw for kitty!

6. Put up flyers EVERYWHERE. Someone may spot kitty for you. (Plastic notebook/presentation sleeves work well in the rain, we found, with the opening at the bottom.) On your flyer, leave out one identifying characteristic to confirm it’s your pet if someone calls.

7. Notify vets and shelters in the area. Even if your cat is microchipped, the chip can migrate, or they just may not find it.

8. Even after notifying shelters, go down and check. (Animal control in your and neighboring towns is your best bet.) These orgs are vastly underfunded and may not immediately reach you, even if they’ve found a chip.

9. Post your missing pet flyer (or similar info and photo) on Nextdoor.com and anywhere you have a social media presence: Facebook, Twitter, etc. Check for a Facebook lost pet page for your area. Also post to your block elist, if you have one, and ask somone on neighboring streets to forward your post to theirs.

10. Don’t forget to take down flyers and notify everyone you’ve asked to look for them after you are reunited with your pet!

I hope it goes without saying: KEEP YOUR PET’S IMMUNIZATIONS UP, GET THEM SPAYED/NEUTERED, GET THEM MICROCHIPPED, AND HAVE THE CHIP SCANNED AT EVERY VET VISIT.

After four days of nearly constant searching, we found Kimchi staked out in a neighbor’s basement, well hidden, hunkered down behind a wood pile. We’d checked that basement every day before we found him there, thanks to his finally giving up a small squeak. Peering around with a flashlight, we caught the glimmer of his eyes and then easily extracted him. He’s back home now, safe and healthy.

We are so happy to have our feisty (but tired) baby boy back home, and hope that these suggestions on how to find a lost kitty will help you to find yours!