Cat  Action  Trust - Lanark & Central Branch   

Some things to do, if your cat unfortunately has gone missing:-

• Re trace your steps, along with others in the house? Where have you have been? In a cupboard, wardrobe, garden, shed, garage, attic, spare room? In fact best to search the whole house from top to bottom first, as cats have been known to hide inside sofas and in places you can’t imagine they would actually fit!

• As well as putting out your cat’s favourite food outside your door, where the cat usually comes and goes from. It’s also useful to put some of your cats: litter tray, bed or blanket, a little of the contents of your hoover bag. Also possibly some clothes you yourself have worn such as socks, trainer insoles, trainers, slippers, tops, etc. As they will have a better chance of recognising their own scent that way and finding their way back home.

• When it’s quieter (best possibly at dawn and dusk). Call your cat from the door it usually would have come and gone from. After calling a bit, have a good listen instead, just in case it is meowing somewhere and cannot get out. Keep doing this from time to time. A lost cat may not necessarily come to you due to fear, so search anywhere there is a possibility of it hiding: Behind bins, under shrubbery, decking or cars, etc. Take a torch, as it will be easier to catch a glimpse of your cat’s eyes in a dark spot. Possibly record a noise familiar to the cat and play back when searching and/or take some of your cat’s favourite food or treats to entice it out with the familiar smells. Also something that sounds familiar, such as a box of dried cat food or treats. If your cat is at all scared and possibly will not come to your calling. Maybe contact a local cat rescue or vets practice to borrow a humane cat trap for a while. A list of cat rescues, by area, can be seen in the help section of our website; www.catactiontrust.co.uk/help.

• Put some flyers round the doors, as well as one in your local shops, vets practices, bus stops, lamp posts, community centres, supermarkets, etc. In fact anywhere that gets a lot of local foot traffic and you think should be relevant. Even speak to your local postman or cab driver and/or hand some flyers out (while you are walking the neighbourhood) to locals such as: dog walkers, local children. Remember your poster should include: at least 1 good picture of your cat, the area they went missing from together with your postcode, date the cat went missing, brief description, whether the cat is microchipped, best contact details, etc. A good cat picture will really help in your flyer. As a picture can speak a thousand words! Along with this, well worth asking your neighbours to open and check their garages, playhouses and sheds just in case your cat has been shut in there by mistake.

• Really very worthwhile putting your cat on Missing cats in Scotland facebook page and having a regular look at the found cats section too. As they are specialists in missing/found cats. Local area facebook pages and local newspapers are also useful as they can target the local neighbourhood possibly better and people who may not be members of these cat facebook pages. Best listing your cat on as many cat rescue facebook pages as possible and share, share, share.

• If your cat is microchipped let the organisation their microchip is registered with (Anibase, Pet Log or Avid) know that they are in fact missing. They may even be able to help you advertise your cat. Also ensure your cats microchip details are always kept up to date, if you move house or have a new contact telephone number.

Finally, if you are lucky enough to be re-united with your cat, eventually. Please get your cat microchipped and neutered, if they weren’t when they went missing. It all really does help believe me. As they will be less likely to stray and get lost and you will have a far greater chance of being re-united with your cat when micro-chipped, if it ever goes missing again. Some local cat rescues and Cats Protection branches can help with these procedures/treatments, if you require financial assistance with them. Last but not least, really enjoy having your whiskered family member back in the house again where he/she belongs. A house is not your home without your cat!