What to do if your cat goes missing

It seems like every time I open my Nextdoor app I see posts from people who ve lost their pets and are worried sick I ve been there myself so I know how it feels Cats go missing more than dogs and sadly have much lower rates of being reunited with their pet parents When Tori Herzog s newly adopted cat Camus got out of her house in Mill Valley she was distraught but forthwith sprang into action Related Articles If feeding wildlife is bad why are we feeding birds Where are wolves roaming in California New online map lets you see Meet the sea hare one of California s the greater part puzzling creatures Bay Area plastic surgeon s novel cure for bee stings published in curative journal Enough San Jose woman wants bird to stop tapping at her door He s just the sweetest cat I ever met and we did everything we could think of I felt like giving up would be failure so I just kept trying to find him she commented When indoor-only kitties escape they re usually frightened of the big new world and will hunker down and hide somewhere close by like under a porch in bushes or in a garage When you re looking be sure to take a flashlight even if it s broad daylight A cat can hide in a small space so look rigorously The majority cats don t go far so search around the homes behind yours as well as the ones on your street Call to your cat using an upbeat voice the kind you use when greeting or when it s time for dinner Call your cat s name often and listen for a reply You may also want to shake a can of treats or cat food As you search ask everyone you meet if they ve seen your cat The more people you include in your search the more likely you are to find your cat After you ve exhausted your initial neighborhood search there are several essential things to do Post on local platforms like Nextdoor PawBoost and local Facebook groups and include a clear photo of your cat Call your local Humane Society to assessment your cat missing and to see if anyone has called in with a located cat that could be yours Make flyers with a clear color photo of your cat and the word lost in big bold letters It should have identifying information about your cat as well as your phone number Distribute the flyers widely Post them on telephone poles gates and fences with the property owner s permission Give them to your mail carrier and gardeners as well as veterinary offices Place strong-scented articles like used socks litter boxes and toys outside your home to attract your cat Consider borrowing a trap from Marin Humane Traps must be checked every two hours to ensure other cats or wildlife don t get trapped Camus was discovered after two weeks thanks to a woman who recognized his picture on a flyer at a veterinarian s office and connected it to Herzog s post on Nextdoor We were so relieved to have him back Herzog announced Remember to make sure your pets are microchipped This tiny device about the size of a grain of rice is safely implanted under the skin and can be your pet s ticket home Various Bay Area Humane centers offers free microchipping for cats and the cost for dogs is nominal Also make sure your kitty is wearing identification ideally a collar and tags Dogs should be wearing their license at all times it s the law in preponderance Bay Area counties Collars with a place to write your info in permanent ink is helpful Also remember to keep a meager current photographs of your cat handy showing not just the face but body as well Of program cats allowed to go outside regularly face serious risks including getting hit by cars taken by coyotes or injured in fights with other cats or dogs That s why it is strongly recommends cats stay indoors only Lisa Bloch is the director of marketing and communications for Marin Humane which contributes Tails of Marin articles and welcomes animal-related questions and stories about the people and animals in our locality Go to marinhumane org find us on social media marinhumane or email lbloch marinhumane org