How to find a missing cat if it is lost on the street, dacha, or a domestic cat has run away from home

Preparatory activities for the search

In order to return a missing cat, you must immediately begin searching after the loss is discovered. Pets often run away from home and fall off the balcony due to increased curiosity that arises against the background of hormone activity.

Successful searches largely depend on the implementation of certain preparatory activities:

using a flashlight, since in the dark the eyes of cats display optical light, which helps to quickly locate the missing animal. During the search, it is necessary to explore the darkest and most secluded places, and when night falls, the pet can crawl out of its hiding place (for example, the basement of a residential building, ventilation, boiler room);
binoculars and other optics. In such cases, you can detect your pet from a distance and not scare it off, as it may be in a highly stressed state. The devices allow you to thoroughly study the terrain within a range of several kilometers (dense thickets, forest, other hard-to-reach places);
you can find a missing pet with the help of your favorite toys, since many cats observe surrounding activities from a hiding place and can jump out into the street at the sight of familiar and familiar objects;
treats for cats. Shaking dry food in a can may be one of the cat's favorite sounds, so this method can also help in finding the animal;
using a clicker, since the pet associates such a sound device with receiving a treat. If he hears these sounds, he can quickly return to his place of residence.

If a cat runs away from home, then its owner must pull himself together, calm down and plan the right search plan. Avoiding panic will give results faster and help you find your missing pet.

Help from others in your search

Do not refuse help when they offer to look for the missing cat with you. Arm yourself with flashlights. Tell your assistants the search principle:

while walking, call the cat quietly and in a soft voice;
stop periodically;
listen to the meow.

Participants in the “search party” must move smoothly and not make sudden movements. If the cat is nearby, you cannot scare it more.

Let each assistant have your phone number for coordination of movements and operational communication. Stay in touch yourself - if the pet is found, it is better for the owner to come over.

If the cat is a rare breed, has an expressive appearance and special features, you can show its photo to neighbors and just passers-by. Ask children playing in the yards, janitors, and grandmothers who are constantly on the street. The promise of a reward will encourage you to help the owner of a lost animal.

Possible places where an animal can hide

Considering the issue of a domestic cat running away, how to find it requires studying the probable places of the loss. In practice, an animal can approximately hide in the following places:

entrances from the upper floors, while at the same time you need to try to inspect baby strollers, buckets, shoes, other items located on landings, places near the garbage chute;
basement, attic. In order to open these premises, you must contact the Housing Office and receive the keys to the doors;
carrying out searches on the street, since cats love elevated places and can be on a tree, roof of a house, pole, balcony, tall bush;
in winter, a cat can hide in places such as heating pipes, a car engine, or a heating radiator located in the entrance;
possible search locations on the street (garage, shed, other utility rooms);
in many cases, the animal gets lost on the street in hard-to-reach places, so storm drains, sewers, and drainpipes must be checked;
When searching for a cat, a hungry animal is often found near trash cans and food preparation areas (a dining room kitchen or a cafe located near the house).

Possible places of loss in the house:

inspection of furniture, closet, niche, space under the bed;
the upper part of the closet, sideboard, furniture wall, since cats love to hide in these secluded places;
empty boxes and other containers that can accommodate an animal;
the window of the washing machine, which is constantly open and ventilated;
balcony and adjacent structures.

Finding a cat in the country is much more complicated due to the large territory, great access to wild nature (proximity to a forest, river), and possible collisions with wild animals. In this case, the pet may take refuge in a neighbor’s house, so it is important to check this option.

During search activities, you need to call the animal by name, try to rustle it with its favorite food, or wear a toy that is familiar to it, as these factors can make the task easier and find the missing cat on the street.

What causes cats to leave home most often?

As for the most common reasons why cats leave their home, there can be a huge number of them, but the most common of them should be listed below:

the cat said to jump out of the window after noticing an individual of the opposite sex through its smell. This is quite simple to do, especially if it’s summer outside and the window is constantly open;
birds in windows also very often attract the attention of cats;
the instinct of nature called the cat and beckoned him with the taste of freedom;
the pet could have become very frightened of something and hastened to leave the premises.

Thus, to summarize, it should be noted that there can be a huge number of reasons for a cat to leave the house, but it is worth taking them all into account and limiting the pet’s penetration outside as much as possible. It is imperative to monitor the cat’s health and take timely measures so that the pet does not have the desire to go into all serious troubles on his own.

However, if your pet is on the street, then outdoor cats may not be very fond of it, which can also greatly affect its health. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and protect him from unnecessary stressful situations.

How to find an animal on the street

Searching for a frightened animal is quite difficult, since a cat can hide in a secluded place for a long time (for 2-4 days), so it is necessary to organize a proper search and carefully check possible places.

Often the pet can be found in the company of street cats, as sex hormones play a role, and it is drawn to the street during the period of active mating games. If it is important that the animal is completely domestic, then it needs to be sterilized.

In some cases, after searching, the cat does not want to return home at all, so homemade traps (cardboard boxes or other suitable containers) may be needed.

A cat that finds itself in an unknown situation hides for a long time (for 5-6 days) and does not go outside. She starves and becomes unadapted to the conditions that arise.

At the same time, animals do not run away over long distances, so searches are best carried out within a radius of several kilometers from the house. Cats are under severe stress, so they may simply not respond to their name or favorite treat.

Cats that are lost on the street often like to hide under cars parked in the yard, so these places need to be checked first.

Where can I go for help?

Finding a cat if you did not immediately discover it was missing is not an easy task. If you have been searching for several days and there are no results, do not lose hope. It often happens that even if a cat is lost for several months, it can still be found. You can contact the temporary animal detention center in your city. Your pet can also end up there if it was caught on the streets.

If a pet goes missing, it causes anxiety, pity, and concern. Children and elderly people are especially affected if a cat or dog goes missing. You can place advertisements, ask neighbors and people on the street in the exact place where it disappeared. But often this does not give the desired result.

It is known that our ancestors knew many conspiracies on how to find a missing animal. You can believe it or not, but you can try. After all, this will not make anyone worse, and if you manage to find pets, then everyone in the family will be only happy about it.

If you lost your beloved cat, which never came home, and the search did not yield results, then you can try this conspiracy. It is better to read it where the animal disappeared.

A cat that walks by itself

“Oh, mother of a damp earth, there is a path following you, along that path there are a thousand ants, everyone goes to their holes, they don’t go astray, they meet in an anthill. So the cat doesn’t get lost, but goes to its yard, to my good. You're a cat, come. Key, lock, tongue. Amen".

“As this place burns, so let the thief’s bone, brain, blood burn, let fear and forty diseases attack him, pinch him and break him, gnaw him and throw him, shake him and crush him, tie his veins into knots. As this fire goes out, the thief will feel bad. Amen".

How to return a pet?

“I ask the powers of the universe to protect my animal and help me bring him home today!”

Do not extinguish the candle, but leave it to burn out.

“Get ready, my dear animal (name, color of the animal’s fur, breed, cat, dog, other type of animal), to your home every night, just as the Orthodox world gathers for the ringing of bells and church singing. How Ant's children serve and obey their ant king, and how honey bees flock to their nests and do not forget their children and do not leave them.

And just as fast rivers, small and large, flow into the glorious ocean-sea, so would you, my animal (name, color of the animal’s fur, breed, name a cat, dog, other type of animal), flow to my voice from all sides: from behind the lakes, from the shifting mosses, from the black swamps, from behind the rivers, from behind the streams, from behind the forests, the night flowed into my house to spend the night, forever. Amen".

If you read the plot for a week, and the animal never came home, then you need to take a break for a week and read it again.

Conspiracy to return an animal

How to return a brown cow?

“Forest Tsar-Father, Bring and hide my little cow.”

“Smoke uphill (pet’s name) to the house. The power of fire. Aoum!

The last word is pronounced drawlingly for as long as possible. In the East, this is a very powerful mantra that brings the lost home. Here you are addressing the fire element directly, and therefore you do not need to blow out the candle flame with your breath, but you can put the candle and wait until it goes out on its own or extinguish it with your fingers.

You can repeat this plot for several days in a row. The animal may not come right away, you need to be patient and wait...

You can tie the legs of the table where your family members dine with a rope. Every day you need to mentally turn to your dog or cat and call him home. Some also “appease” the brownie, who loves cats and dogs. To do this, prepare him a treat, which is placed in a clean bowl.

You can treat the brownie to porridge, pour him milk, give him sweets. But all this needs to be put in a secluded place so that this treat is not in front of everyone. Ask your Brownie Master to return your pet to you. And don’t forget to change his treats.

If some livestock has disappeared, a goat or cow has not returned home from pasture, and the shepherds cannot explain this in any way. Then you can try the old method, which is very similar to a fairy tale. We need to write a letter to the King of the Forest, or as the old people say, contact the devil. After all, all forest possessions are subject to him and he is the owner there.

“King of the forest, I turn to you with a bow, I ask with a bow: if you walk through your domain, look after the forest animals, if you accidentally stumble upon (name and name of the animal), then return to me the dear cattle, fed by me, cared for by me, return the nurse mine. And I will thank you."

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Remuneration to the owner of the forest

“I am writing to the king of the forest and the queen of the forest, the king of the water and the queen of the water, I am a man ... (further indicate your name). I notify you that I have lost an animal (indicate the name of the animal, type, color). If you have it, then send it to me without delaying an hour, a minute, or a second. And if you don’t do it my way, I will complain about you to the Holy Great Martyr Yegor and Queen Alexandra.”

The letter must be taken to the forest, read out loud, left on a tree (hanged on a branch) or placed on a stump. You should put a “reward” next to it for the owner of the forest. This could be a crust of bread sprinkled with salt and a small mug of milk. Sometimes they leave a glass of beer or wine.

If the goblin doesn’t return the cattle, it will definitely let you know in some way where your lost animal is. This is exactly what our ancestors did before, and you can try it now. Ask the saints to return the animals

Return the animal using a spell prayer

Some grandmothers recommend that in order to return a pet, contact Nicholas the Ugodnik, St. George the Victorious, who fulfill requests for missing animals. Go to church, light a candle and ask the Saints to return your furry pet home to you. Just ask sincerely and in faith. And then the Higher Powers will help you or let you know about your pet in some way.

Listen and be attentive to all the signs that the Universe may send after you turn to it for help. This could be an overheard conversation on the street, a television program about missing animals, about kennels for the homeless, an advertisement in the newspaper about found dogs or cats. You never know.

“Hear our humble prayer, Lord! We pray for all our animal friends, Especially for those who are suffering, For all those who are hunted, who are lost, Who are abandoned, who are afraid or hungry; For everyone who needs to be put to sleep. Have pity on them, be merciful! And to those who should take care of them, Grant hearts full of compassion, Give them kind hands, suggest kind words. May we be true friends for animals! May we share your mercy and grace with them! Amen!".

It can also be read if your pets are lost and do not return home for a long time.

It is better to pronounce the plot that you read for the return of the animal so that other family members or neighbors do not hear you. If the words of the conspiracy are pronounced on the street, then you need to wait so that no one bothers you.

Still, conspiracies and various rituals are magical actions that should not be carried out in public. They must be done alone with oneself, in nature, in the forest, as in the case of a letter to the King of the Forest.

This is a sacrament that is aimed at appealing to the Higher Forces of Nature, to the Cosmos, as they say now. But any such action does not tolerate noise, fuss, or a large number of people. And then other people who do not believe in such actions can simply laugh and “dispel”, “negate” all the work that will be done by you.

As with any conspiracy or uttering a whisper-quick conspiracy, you must believe in what you are doing. Only in this case will the Higher Powers be able to come to your aid.

What to do if you couldn’t find your missing cat in the first days

When searching for a missing cat, it is not always possible to find it quickly, but you cannot abandon this idea and you need to continue the undertaking. Some recommendations:

posting advertisements about searching for an animal in the area of residence, indicating external data, photographs, and the amount of reward. In this case, the form can be hung up in veterinary clinics located in the district;
social networks (in contact, classmates), as there are special groups where you can post information about a missing animal. This technique is quite effective, since the ad can be read by a large number of people.

The above methods can help in the search even after a long time, since the animal can stray to any place.

At the same time, fraudsters can take advantage of such advertisements for their own benefit:

a call is made and the owner is notified that his animal has been found;
most often the voice of the person calling is absolutely calm, measured and does not arouse any suspicion;
then the person demands a reward in a friendly tone with the transfer of the animal after some time (several hours, in the morning or in the evening);
at the same time, scammers often ask to top up a card or mobile phone number as a reward, and then disappear;
if the owner refuses to transfer the money, they may face threats (for example, kill the animal or not give it back, but throw it out into the street).

In order to prevent the development of such events, the following measures must be taken:

ask for the possibility of providing a photo using any electronic resource (mms message, viber, mail, whatsapp);
checking the name of the animal when naming it is incorrect and if the cat responds, then this is a fraudulent scheme;
checking for special signs or finding out any other characteristic features of the animal. If confusion begins, then most likely it is just scammers trying to illegally receive a reward.

What should the owner do?

As a result of unsuccessful searches, you should seek help from the Internet or the press by posting an ad about the missing cat on a website with similar text or in a newspaper. It is important to describe the pet’s characteristics, indicate the color (white, gray-black, black or red), characterize the appearance, height and weight. Write what nickname he responds to. It is important to attach a photo of the runaway or disappeared cat. The more people see the ad, the more likely the search outcome will be positive.

In case of loss, in order to speed up the cat’s return home, you should put a collar with a medallion on it in advance, attaching a note inside that includes the animal’s name and the owner’s phone number. There are special devices that transmit information about the cat’s location to the owner’s phone. Such a device that communicates with the cat can be ordered from an online store.

Useful tips

Useful tips from experts when searching for a missing animal:

gradual expansion of the search area only after a thorough inspection of all local areas and other places located nearby;
search activities are best carried out at different times of the day, since frightened pets can come out of their hiding places in the evening or at night, when it gets dark;
calling your pet, using your favorite food, toys, or clicker is best used early in the morning or late in the evening, since it becomes quiet outside and the animal can hear familiar sounds and run towards them;
It is best to carry out searches with assistants, since it is quite difficult to inspect vast areas alone. Additional help can speed up the receipt of positive news;
finding out information from strangers (neighbors, children walking on the playground, pensioners on benches). You can show a photo of the animal, leave contact information and find out if anyone has seen it in the surrounding area;
You can also contact janitors or permanent residents who often feed stray animals and may encounter a lost cat on their way.

Catch and prevent further escapes

Most likely, the cat settled nearby, within a square kilometer from the house. This happens quite often, because over time, walking cats become less and less attached to humans and establish more and more connections with their fellow cats. Since it is very difficult to find a missing cat that has “lost” of its own free will, owners can only hope that the pet will come home on its own.

Sometimes such cats “go on a spree” for several weeks, months and even years. It is impossible to predict whether the cat will return home. As a consolation for the owners: a free-roaming cat knows perfectly well the laws of the concrete jungle, knows how to find water and food, stand up for itself or escape from enemies. Such cats rarely end up under cars or in the mouths of stray dogs.

the search should be carried out in an expanding spiral;

during the search, you need to call your pet by name, rustling with a bag of food or a toy;

the pet is scared. Probably even in a panic. Since it is very difficult to find a missing cat if it has frozen in place from fear, you need to rely on your own strength, without hoping that the cat will come out when called. You can't miss a single bush or tree! Be sure to look under each car, inspect the entrances from the first to the last floor, looking behind the garbage chute pipes;

if the search is unsuccessful, it’s time to explore the basements. You will need a powerful flashlight, a bag of usual food and your pet’s favorite toy.

Since it is easier to find a cat on the street if the owner has help, you should immediately inform friends and relatives about the problem. You need to look for a fugitive by breaking into pairs and dividing the territory between groups. If it was not possible to find your pet during the day, the “search operation” is scheduled for late evening or early morning of the next day - a calm, quiet time when the cat is less frightened and more willing to respond to the call.

It's time to connect word of mouth. Distribute high-quality photographs of your pet to your helpers. Pictures should be shown to children, pensioners and teenagers (people who spend a lot of time outdoors and almost certainly have free time). Explain to them how to find a lost cat (ask them to look around the yard, bushes, trees, look under cars, etc.).

The most important thing is to promise a reward and don’t forget to leave a piece of paper with contact information. Explain that the cat is lost and is not adapted to the street, and that it must be returned home before it gets into trouble. Typically, older people and children show sincere sympathy and really help in the search.

The next step is to notify the local population. Again, monetary rewards should definitely be mentioned. Advertisements should be posted along the search path (in an expanding spiral) and posted on the Internet. In the ad: a photograph (an ad without a photo does not work, it has been verified many times by hundreds of owners), special features, gender, contact information and a mention that the cat is domestic.

If the cat is purebred, talk to doctors at local clinics, leaving them with contact information and a photo of the cat. On the back of the photo write gender, age, special features. People who find a purebred pet do not always voluntarily return the assigned cats and dogs, but at some point they will have to visit a veterinarian who can recognize the missing cat and report the find to the real owners.

What to do if your animal is lost, and how to help it find its way home?

What to do when a cat is found

If a missing cat is found, then at the first meeting he may experience discomfort and be in a stressful state due to a sudden change in circumstances and being in an unknown environment for a long time.

You need to approach the found animal carefully and show it a treat in order to lure it and not scare it away. A hungry animal will gradually approach the food and then you can carefully try to pick it up.

Once the animal has been found, it is necessary to inspect it and identify the possible presence of wounds, injuries, fleas and worms. Such activities are carried out when visiting a veterinary clinic.

At first, it is necessary to limit the amount of food, since a hungry animal can attack the food and then get severe digestive disorders. It is best to eat small meals up to several times a day.

Additionally, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures to prevent the repeated loss of the animal:

access to the street must be limited for some time or regular monitoring of the animal must be ensured;
it is necessary to accustom the cat to its nickname, which should be simple and not complicated. This will make it easier to find the animal if it gets lost;
carrying out castration, sterilization, as the animal’s sexual instincts are dulled and it becomes calmer. However, this method does not eliminate the risk of it disappearing from home;
installation of metal bars on windows, especially in multi-storey buildings, since their landing is not always successful for general health;
the use of durable carriers, special harnesses instead of a collar when the owner and the cat move long distances;
microchipping cats and having a special collar will help you quickly find them, since the chip indicates information about their place of residence;
You can also try to teach the cat to walk outside so that he returns home on his own. However, it takes an indefinite amount of time to develop such a habit.

Lost cat

The reasons why a cat is lost could be anything. He can slip through an unlocked window or an open door, run away from the house on his own, or get lost from fright in an unfamiliar place. The main role in this situation is played by the time when you discovered the loss. The sooner you realized that your pet is not at home, the better it will be.

Of course, you need to be alarmed if a kitten goes missing, since in most cases there are many dangers lurking for it on the street. Kids are afraid of cold, dampness, hunger and strangers. A kitten is unlikely to find its way home on its own, unlike an adult animal. Most often, he will look for a secluded place, meow pitifully and seek help from people. According to statistics, without human help, kittens die in 80% of cases, while an adult cat can get food for itself and survive.

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How long can it take for a missing cat to return?

Real-life cases show that lost cats can return home after several months or even years. According to statistics, up to 50% of lost owners find their pets healthy and unharmed.

65% of cases confirm the fact that cats return home from distant places (cottage, village or other places where the animal was early). Intensive searches, patience and perseverance increase the chances of finding the loss within a short time.

Therefore, if the cat suddenly disappears, then you need to immediately start searching in all possible places. In this case, the animal can return home on its own after some time. Much depends on the pet and the circumstances of each specific situation.

It's best to do your best and try to check all your options. The loss of a beloved pet is an unpleasant matter, but it can be resolved if you follow the recommendations presented.