Your cat has disappeared! This can be the worst nightmare for any cat owner. If this happens to you, it may not be very pleasant. Here are some tips that will help you find them.

Keep your cat safely inside. RSPCA recommends that you keep your cat indoors. This can be done with an outdoor enclosure or completely indoors.

Please do not wait until your cat is lost before you start looking for it!

Preparation is key to pet care.

While your cat remains at home safely, ensure that they are properly identified. It is important to have a microchip, but it’s also important to have an external ID, such as a collar that has a tag with your name and number. You should always ensure that your microchip database information and ID tag is up-to-date.

If you need to find your cat, make sure that you have a recent photo of them (including the full body and their face). We’re sure that you have a lot of pictures of your pet in your camera roll.

Develop a missing cat plan.

Prepare a plan in case your cat disappears before anything happens. You’ll likely be calmer and more able to think clearly. A plan will save you time in the event of an emergency.

You should also include a physical search of your home and yard (many indoor cats that are missing hide inside their homes!). You should also notify your neighbors to ask their permission to conduct a thorough search of their property.

You can also distribute fliers with pictures of your missing cat in your neighborhood. You can also search online for your missing cat. For example, you could use local Facebook groups and ‘lost pet’ pages.

Help Your Cat Return Home

Many indoor cats are afraid of the outside world and will hide if they leave but will return to their familiar territory. They may be hiding in a place that you cannot see, but they will not come out if you look for them.

It’s good news because many of these cats are found close to their homes. There are simple things that you can do to assist them in returning home.

Put your cat’s favorite food inside, but close to the door. Leave it open while you watch. Many cats will come back to the house for food if you are patient. ).

For outdoor cats

If you see your cat roaming around and it doesn’t come back, this could mean that they have been injured, ill, or accidentally removed by someone. The cats will still be found near your home, but they may only be two or three blocks away.

If you are looking for an indoor cat, follow the same steps, but expand your search area and focus on other aspects (such as advertising and posting online groups).

You can find more information in our Knowledgebase. We hope that if this unfortunate event occurs and your cat is missing, you can be reunited with your companion by following these simple tips.