Anyone got tips on how to find a lost cat heh

[Teren_Kanan]

Got our newest cat spade yesterday. It was about 7 months old. It was a stray we had picked up about 2 months ago. Last night, Leaving the vet my girlfriend was holding the cat in her arms when it freaked out and jumped in a panic, and ran away into the woods. We looked for about 2 hours and could not find it. It happened about 4 miles from where we live.

The vet has already told us if it returns or is found by someone they'd inform us, and I plan to go look tomorrow during the day light as long as possible. It just had surgery so I'm imagining it won't be able to survive like that very long without it's medicines.

It's a long shot, and besides posting fliers etc, I'm not sure what else to do. Figured I'd ask here, maybe someone has some trick or knows something I don't =/

 

[CliffnDallas]

Got our newest cat spade yesterday. It was about 7 months old. It was a stray we had picked up about 2 months ago. Last night, Leaving the vet my girlfriend was holding the cat in her arms when it freaked out and jumped in a panic, and ran away into the woods. We looked for about 2 hours and could not find it. It happened about 4 miles from where we live.

The vet has already told us if it returns or is found by someone they'd inform us, and I plan to go look tomorrow during the day light as long as possible. It just had surgery so I'm imagining it won't be able to survive like that very long without it's medicines.

It's a long shot, and besides posting fliers etc, I'm not sure what else to do. Figured I'd ask here, maybe someone has some trick or knows something I don't =/

The only thing I can think of is to get a cage trap and out food and water in it. But theres no telling what you might catch besides kitty. The cat should have been in a pet carrier for the trip to and from the vet's.

 

[Signals]

Setting a trap as suggested above sounds like your best bet. Other than that, Faerluna should be along any minute. She is the CBZ cat expert here.

One time a neighbor offered me $500 to catch their cat that had escaped. They described the cat to me and I said I had seen their cat often. For weeks I would see this cat around my house, but was never able to catch it.

It was frustrating because I would step outside from time to time and see this cat sitting on my lawn. It would stare at me and I'd stare back with dollars signs flashing in my eyes, yet I was never able to cash in, trap or no trap.

:laugh1: It was like chasing a piece of paper on a gusty windy day. Darn cat made me look like an idiot sometimes.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I look at it this way when dealing with cats. If they don't stick around, then I don't want them anyhow.

We had a cat about around two years ago. The cat hated to be locked up in the house. We let it out and it would vanish for days at a time and then come back only when it was starving and needed something to eat.

The cat offered nothing to the family except the burden of feeding it when it could find food elsewhere. We kept feeding it for a while, but I finally decided that the cats relationship with our family needs to be a two way street and I ban feeding the cat.

I don't mind helping a stranger. (cat, dog, person whatever) But I'm hell bent against helping someone who is just going to use me. If I am nothing but a freebie to someone or something, I will shut that down. (I kicked my step brother who was jobless out on his *** once because of the very same thing)

That said. If the cat has no interest in returning, let it go. It doesn't want you anyhow. (not exactly speaking to Teren_Kanan here since there are extenuating circumstances)

 

[Yeagermeister]

I know this guy who is a pet detective. Let me find his card. Here it is. His name is Ventura....Ace Ventura.....ALLLLLLLRIGHTY THEN

 

[YosemiteSam]

I know this guy who is a pet detective. Let me find his card. Here it is. His name is Ventura....Ace Ventura.....ALLLLLLLRIGHTY THEN

 

[Yeagermeister]

You should sue that guy. He jacked up your tat. :laugh2:

 

[Faerluna]

The cat is going to stick around the area for several days. It's where they know they live and get food.

Call the SPCA near you and they can probably let you borrow a trap for a deposit in the $50 range, which you'll get back when you return it.

Put a really smelly fish in the trap like mackrel or tuna and put it somewhere a little hidden, like near bushes, if there are any. No high traffic areas or she will be too scared to investigate. If you have a blanket that she slept on or anything, you might want to put it on top of the trap, so the scent is familiar.

I have a friend who lost a cat and was trying to trap her for a week or more and finally got her. Be persistent and check the trap often, especially if the weather is bad.

Don't worry so much about the spay. They do stitches on the inside and stitches on the outside, and its unlikely that they will come out unless they are really grooming the area excessively. Stray cats that get spayed go back to their regular routine after only a night of rest.

If you need any other advice, just let me know.

 

[Chief]

I like most cats ... I think they're strange and entertaining. I had a neutered male that was great ... very friendly and lots of fun to be around. He used to run up and greet me as I got out of my car when I got home from work.

Anyway, I don't understand why you would want to trap a cat to keep it with you. If you have to do that, it becomes a hostage, not a pet.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I like most cats ... I think they're strange and entertaining. I had a neutered male that was great ... very friendly and lots of fun to be around. He used to run up and greet me as I got out of my car when I got home from work.

Anyway, I don't understand why you would want to trap a cat to keep it with you. If you have to do that, it becomes a hostage, not a pet.

To some people around here, I'm willing to bet hostage == pet.

 

[Faerluna]

I like most cats ... I think they're strange and entertaining. I had a neutered male that was great ... very friendly and lots of fun to be around. He used to run up and greet me as I got out of my car when I got home from work.

Anyway, I don't understand why you would want to trap a cat to keep it with you. If you have to do that, it becomes a hostage, not a pet.

Cats, for the most part, are indoor pets. When they are outside, they have to face other animals, cars, environmental dangers and people that would intentionally hurt them for fun.

The only time that cats should really be outside is if you have an enclosure for them in your backyard.

I've scraped up enough dead cats off the road, and buried ones that got shot with bb guns to have a pretty concrete opinion on this.

 

[CATCH17]

Stand outside with a can of charlies tuna, and a bowl of cat food.

Then yell out meow or heeeeere kitty kitty kitty until the cat finally appears.

If all else fails set out a pound of cat nip.

 

[Chief]

Cats, for the most part, are indoor pets. When they are outside, they have to face other animals, cars, environmental dangers and people that would intentionally hurt them for fun.

The only time that cats should really be outside is if you have an enclosure for them in your backyard.

I've scraped up enough dead cats off the road, and buried ones that got shot with bb guns to have a pretty concrete opinion on this.

I see what you mean.

I grew up on a farm and we always had some around. There were dangers, but they seemed to have a real good life and of course, kept the mice under control.

But in an urban setting, I'm sure it's different.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Got our newest cat spade yesterday. It was about 7 months old. It was a stray we had picked up about 2 months ago. Last night, Leaving the vet my girlfriend was holding the cat in her arms when it freaked out and jumped in a panic, and ran away into the woods. We looked for about 2 hours and could not find it. It happened about 4 miles from where we live.

The vet has already told us if it returns or is found by someone they'd inform us, and I plan to go look tomorrow during the day light as long as possible. It just had surgery so I'm imagining it won't be able to survive like that very long without it's medicines.

It's a long shot, and besides posting fliers etc, I'm not sure what else to do. Figured I'd ask here, maybe someone has some trick or knows something I don't =/

...the cat hasn't moved far. It new territory so it won't move unless there's food or shelter nearby.

Best trick I have given to many friends looking for their lost cats. Put out it's litter box near where you lost the cat and stay there for a few hours. They can trace their own smell.

Also put half of the used litter in a box outside your back door just in case the cat has moved beyond the woods.

You can use food and calls, but you need something familiar to attract it. Good luck and if you do get the cat back I would suggest that your pet is a jittery one and a animal travel crate would be a nice holiday gift for the pet.

 

[Faerluna]

...the cat hasn't moved far. It new territory so it won't move unless there's food or shelter nearby.

Best trick I have given to many friends looking for their lost cats. Put out it's litter box near where you lost the cat and stay there for a few hours. They can trace their own smell.

Also put half of the used litter in a box outside your back door just in case the cat has moved beyond the woods.

You can use food and calls, but you need something familiar to attract it. Good luck and if you do get the cat back I would suggest that your pet is a jittery one and a animal travel crate would be a nice holiday gift for the pet.

Litter box is a great idea, too.

 

[dcdallaschick]

One of my cats got out once, and didn't go far, but was scared and hiding in some brush a couple houses down where we'd never have found her. I ended up walking up and down the sidewalk talking to her (I'm sure I looked like a mental case) and she finally started to meow and respond so I could find her. She might not have come out initially for food or anything else, but she recognized me talking.

From my experience (I have five formerly feral ones that were born outside under my deck), most cats adjust really quickly to being indoor cats and don't really want to be outside, so if you (or something else familiar) is around, that might be enough to get a response.

 

[Teren_Kanan]

Yeah the problem is it got loose 4 miles from my house, so it's in unfamiliar territory.

The bigger problem is it JUST had surgery (spade) so without anti-biotics or pain meds...

I'll try to litter box thing I suppose but the area is really ****ty, There are lots of dogs and cats, and lots of auto mechanic places with loud noises to scare her off. I looked around the area for about 3 hours today on foot to no avail. We put up posters all over.

The cat was fine being in our home, never tried to escape. Leaving the vets it was in pain and really doped up still when it got loose, so it was in a blind panic in an unfamiliar territory.

My girlfriend is pretty much hating herself atm for not having it in a carry case but what can ya do.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

...the cat hasn't moved far. It new territory so it won't move unless there's food or shelter nearby.

Or a really plum 3/2/2 fixer-upper, on a cul-de-sac in a good school district.

 

[Faerluna]

The bigger problem is it JUST had surgery (spade) so without anti-biotics or pain meds...

You don't need antibiotics after a spay, and pain meds aren't really necessary, either. Her biggest problem is being scared and in an unfamiliar place.

So sorry this happened. I'm surprised that the vet didn't have any collapsible cardboard carriers to give you.

 

[YosemiteSam]

You don't need antibiotics after a spay, and pain meds aren't really necessary, either. Her biggest problem is being scared and in an unfamiliar place.

So sorry this happened. I'm surprised that the vet didn't have any collapsible cardboard carriers to give you.

Just shoot the damn thing. :laugh2: