Create an Action Plan for Finding Your Lost Cat

First, search your property thoroughly. Cats and small dogs can get into some very strange and seemingly inaccessible places. Once you are sure your pet is actually lost (and not hiding!), follow these steps to help you recover him/her.

Step 1: Submit to the National Lost Pet Database

Make sure to submit your pet's details to the National Lost Pet Database to make sure that if he/she turns up at a shelter that they recognize the pet as being yours and will be able to contact you.

Step 2: Put Up Lost Pet Posters

Create a Lost Pet Poster, attach a photo and fill in the details, and photocopy it for distribution around the area where your pet was last seen. Visit local newsagents and supermarkets and ask that they place it in their window. Leave a poster attached to their door if they are not home. Offer a reward, but don't state the amount. It is advisable to leave several identifying marks off your poster, and if the person who claims to have found your pet cannot describe these features they may not have your pet, and may simply be trying to get the reward.

Step 3: Look For Your Pet!

Walk around the neighborhood looking for your pet! And be sure to make some noise - animals can hear you from great distances. Have all your family members call the pet's name. It's important to stop regularly, be quiet, and listen for your pet to make a noise in reply. Bring a powerful flashlight (even during daylight hours) for checking in dark spaces - injured animals tend to hide in dark spaces.  

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