Your indoor cat getting out is one of the biggest fears that cat parents share. There are just too many ways for your kitty to get hurt, especially in urban environments. Whether they have a run-in with a car or a predator, or simply can’t find food, the outside world can be dangerous. To maximize your chances of a happy reunion with a runaway feline, we’ve put together a list of eight things to do if your indoor cat gets out.
Don’t Panic!
“Don’t Panic!” aren’t just the words that appear in large, friendly letters on the cover of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – they’re also the first rule to follow if your indoor cat has gotten out of the house. Panicking won’t help you find your cat more quickly, and may actually hurt your search. If your cat is nearby but sees and hears you panicking—either through aggressive body language (sudden movements, running) or loud noises (banging doors, screaming)—they may panic, too, and run farther away.
Look Carefully
If your cat has run outside but is frozen in your yard, do not run after them. Approach them calmly, or try calling to see if they’ll come to you. Try approaching slowly, with relaxed body language.
If they’ve disappeared entirely, walk around the outside of your home—again, in a calm manner—and look everywhere you imagine a cat might hide (even those places you think impossible for them to access). Look through the bushes, in crawl spaces, under dumpsters, and more. Call their name as you look; they might have quickly gotten disoriented and not know the way home.
My cat Kaylee escaped our apartment one February night many years ago. I walked the complex calling her name until I heard her calling back to me in her husky meow. She was two apartments up, hidden in the bushes because she couldn’t differentiate our patio from others. She stayed where she was until I found her and carried her home.
Food-Shaking Magic
As any cat parent knows, the food bag is magic—it can make a sleeping cat teleport to their food bowl in a snap! When your furry friend is lost, you can use this to your advantage: take the food bag outside and shake it. If they’re in range to hear it, they may come running. You can also try using a can of wet food, since the popping of the can’s top can provide similar cat summoning services. If your cat has a favorite treat, shaking the treat bag could work as well.
The Power of Stink
This tactic is going to sound gross, but stay with me. Cats have extremely keen noses thanks to between 45 to 80 million olfactory receptors, meaning they can navigate pretty well by scent. To tap into that and maybe show your cat the way home, you need to inject a loud smell of home into the area around your house. Try putting their used litter box outside; their own stinkbombs might catch their attention. Alternatively, leave out a stinky pair of your sneakers or a funky shirt. You might lose your clothing to the elements, but it’s worth it if it helps your kitty find their way home.
Take A Walk
If there’s no sign of them on your property, expand your search. The best times to go looking for your lost cat are generally at night or around dusk and dawn each day. Search within several blocks of your home while calling out for your kitty in a normal tone of voice; take the food or treat bag with you and shake it as you go.
Set A Comfy Trap
While waiting for your indoor cat to turn up, in tandem with searching the neighborhood, set up a comfortable spot to shelter them should they return while you’re not around. Set out food and water a short distance away from the aforementioned litter box. Put out a box they can climb into and line it with soft blankets and some clothes that smell like you. If they show up when you’re not watching, they might settle in to stay.
You could set an actual animal trap as well, baited with smelly food, though be warned you might accidentally trap other cats, raccoons, or even a possum.
Post Fliers
It’s incredibly important to get the word out that you’re missing your cat so that you’re not the only one looking. If you have access to a computer, you can make a flier pretty quickly with a word processor or online tool. Just make sure you include the following information:
a large header like LOST CAT
your cat’s name
a photograph of your cat
important information like pet age, coloration, sex, etc.
your name and contact information
Make sure the flier is very easy to read, and use a large font size. If possible, get the fliers printed out on brightly-colored paper to make them eye-catching. Post these fliers around your neighborhood, at nearby major intersections, and in local businesses that permit it (such as community centers, vet offices, some pet stores, etc.).
Who You Should Call?
When your cat is lost, there are a few people and places you should contact immediately:
Microchip Registry – Is your cat microchipped? Alert the registry that your pet is lost and ensure your contact information is up to date.
Local Vets – Some people who find lost pets will take them to their local vet’s office, and most vets have a bulletin board where people can post fliers.
Local Shelters – If it’s been a couple days, start keeping an eye on the local shelters.
Neighborhood Community – You can either go knock on your neighbors’ doors or use a social network like Nextdoor or Facebook to spread word of your missing cat.
Local Newspapers – Most newspapers have a lost and found section; give yours a call or email to list your lost pet.
Remember: don’t panic! Then take a systematic approach to looking for your feline friend. These tips will help keep you focused, and improve your chances of a happy reunion.
