Lost Cat | metro-denver-cat

Help for Cats

Lost Cat

I Lost My Cat

What do I do?

Losing your cat can be incredibly stressful and scary, but do not give up hope. Most cats that go missing are found within 0.3 miles of their home and within 7 days after they have gone missing.

You also need to tailor your search methods to the type of cat you have. If your cat is strictly indoors only, a physical search of the immediate areas around your house will be more effective. If your cat is indoor-outdoor or outdoor only a physical search of the area around your house and your block would be more effective.

If you cat is very curious and not shy talking to your neighbors is more effective because your cat is likely to have been picked up by a neighbor or is in someone else’s home.

If you cat is shy, then you want to physically look around your home. Places cats most often hide are under decks, under sheds, under houses and in crawlspaces, in bushes, under cars, under any trash, piles of wood or debris, and in-between walls and buildings. We usually tell people to look in the places you least expect. Cats when scared will try to find a place where they feel safe that is most-often not in the places people or predators would check first. Decks though are the best starting point.

If you would like to download this information, click this downloadable link for an infographic on how to find your lost cat.

Below are more tips to find your lost cat:

Physically looking for your cat around your home and neighborhood is the best way to try to find your lost cat.
- Tailoring how you look for your cat depending on if they are more likely to walk up to strangers (a curious cat) or more likely to hide from strangers will help you find your cat faster.
  - For curious cats check in with your immediate neighbors. Calling in a calm tone and shaking a bag of treats from their point of escape is also a good idea. Curious cats are more likely to come out when they hear their owners.
  - For shy cats and cats in between, looking in and around your yard and your immediate neighbors’ yards are your best bet on finding them. Shy cats are less likely to wander far from home and are more likely to be hiding. The best places to look for cats are as follows:
    - under decks, under sheds, under houses and in crawlspaces, in bushes, under cars, under any trash, piles of wood or debris, and in-between walls and buildings.
      - We usually tell people to look in the places you least expect. Cats when scared will try to find a place where they feel safe that is most-often not in the places people or predators would check first. Decks though are the best starting point.

Make a Lost Cat Flyer at PetFBI.
- Tips for making a lost cat flyer
  - Use a clear image of your cat.
  - Make sure to describe any unique markings on your cat, or if he/she was wearing a collar when they went missing.
  - Include the cross street and date where/when your cat was last seen
  - Keep it simple- Don't include unnecessary writing on your poster or people may not read it.
  - Print your poster on bright colored paper such as yellow, orange or pink.

Distribute flyers door to door and post flyers in a 3-mile radius from where your cat was last seen.
- Talking to your neighbors and letting them know your cat is missing is more effective because it means more eyes will be looking out for your cat.
  - We suggest when handing out flyers to also knock on your neighbor’s doors on your block and let them know your cat is missing.
- Distributing posters to veterinary clinics, pet stores, and shelters near your house is also a good idea.

Door-to-door-outreach-handing-out-flyers

Go out at dawn, dusk, or at night and walk around your block and the block behind you. Bring a friend or family member and just talk to each other.
- Most cats will not respond to someone yelling their name, but if they hear their owner talking, they are more likely to feel comfortable meowing for you or coming out.
- Yelling your cat’s name is not effective because cat’s do not respond to their name as much as the tone of your voice. Saying your cats name in a calm tone like you are just talking to them normally is the best way to get them to respond to your voice.

Put out a food bowl with a little bit of dry food at night near where your cat got out. Place a trail camera behind the food bowl and somewhat hidden, but not obscured so the camera can take a clear picture.
- I recommend this trail camera , but most trail camera’s now a days work very well.
- If you see your cat on camera get a trap from us (844-336-2287)! Once you have a trap take note of when your cat came to eat food. Most trail cameras tell you the date and time of the picture. This time is when you want to put out the trap. Leave the trap out for 4 to 5 hours, if at night just check it again in the morning.
  - If you are seeing raccoons or other wildlife coming to the bowl stop leaving food out, your cat is not likely to come eat at a bowl where other animals scent has been. This is not true if your cat is an outdoor only cat though.

Trail-camera-set-up-to-find-your-lost-ca

Visit your local animal shelter's website and see if your cat is listed on their lost and found page. The map below shows animal shelters in the Metro Denver area.

If your cat was microchipped, call the microchip company.
- If you do not know your pets microchip company, you can look it up on here by entering their microchip number. Once you have called the company, make sure your contact info is up-to-date and that the company knows your pet is lost.

Post a Missing Cat ad on Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Facebook.

Help for Cats

I Lost My Cat

What do I do?

Physically looking for your cat around your home and neighborhood is the best way to try to find your lost cat.

Tailoring how you look for your cat depending on if they are more likely to walk up to strangers (a curious cat) or more likely to hide from strangers will help you find your cat faster.

For curious cats check in with your immediate neighbors. Calling in a calm tone and shaking a bag of treats from their point of escape is also a good idea. Curious cats are more likely to come out when they hear their owners.

For shy cats and cats in between, looking in and around your yard and your immediate neighbors’ yards are your best bet on finding them. Shy cats are less likely to wander far from home and are more likely to be hiding. The best places to look for cats are as follows:

under decks, under sheds, under houses and in crawlspaces, in bushes, under cars, under any trash, piles of wood or debris, and in-between walls and buildings.

We usually tell people to look in the places you least expect. Cats when scared will try to find a place where they feel safe that is most-often not in the places people or predators would check first. Decks though are the best starting point.

Make a Lost Cat Flyer at PetFBI.

Tips for making a lost cat flyer

Use a clear image of your cat.

Make sure to describe any unique markings on your cat, or if he/she was wearing a collar when they went missing.

Include the cross street and date where/when your cat was last seen

Keep it simple- Don't include unnecessary writing on your poster or people may not read it.

Print your poster on bright colored paper such as yellow, orange or pink.

Distribute flyers door to door and post flyers in a 3-mile radius from where your cat was last seen.

Talking to your neighbors and letting them know your cat is missing is more effective because it means more eyes will be looking out for your cat.

We suggest when handing out flyers to also knock on your neighbor’s doors on your block and let them know your cat is missing.

Distributing posters to veterinary clinics, pet stores, and shelters near your house is also a good idea.

Go out at dawn, dusk, or at night and walk around your block and the block behind you. Bring a friend or family member and just talk to each other.

Most cats will not respond to someone yelling their name, but if they hear their owner talking, they are more likely to feel comfortable meowing for you or coming out.

Yelling your cat’s name is not effective because cat’s do not respond to their name as much as the tone of your voice. Saying your cats name in a calm tone like you are just talking to them normally is the best way to get them to respond to your voice.

Put out a food bowl with a little bit of dry food at night near where your cat got out. Place a trail camera behind the food bowl and somewhat hidden, but not obscured so the camera can take a clear picture.

I recommend this trail camera , but most trail camera’s now a days work very well.

If you are seeing raccoons or other wildlife coming to the bowl stop leaving food out, your cat is not likely to come eat at a bowl where other animals scent has been. This is not true if your cat is an outdoor only cat though.

Visit your local animal shelter's website and see if your cat is listed on their lost and found page. The map below shows animal shelters in the Metro Denver area.

If your cat was microchipped, call the microchip company.

If you do not know your pets microchip company, you can look it up on here by entering their microchip number. Once you have called the company, make sure your contact info is up-to-date and that the company knows your pet is lost.

Post a Missing Cat ad on Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Facebook.

About Us
Free Program
Help For Cats
Contact Us

Sobre Nosotros
Programa Gratis
Ayuda Para Gatos
Contáctanos

4817 National Western Dr, Denver, CO 80216

Hours:
By appointment only.

Follow Us:

Help for Cats

I Lost My Cat

What do I do?

Physically looking for your cat around your home and neighborhood is the best way to try to find your lost cat.

Tailoring how you look for your cat depending on if they are more likely to walk up to strangers (a curious cat) or more likely to hide from strangers will help you find your cat faster.

​For curious cats check in with your immediate neighbors. Calling in a calm tone and shaking a bag of treats from their point of escape is also a good idea. Curious cats are more likely to come out when they hear their owners.

For shy cats and cats in between, looking in and around your yard and your immediate neighbors’ yards are your best bet on finding them. Shy cats are less likely to wander far from home and are more likely to be hiding. The best places to look for cats are as follows:

under decks, under sheds, under houses and in crawlspaces, in bushes, under cars, under any trash, piles of wood or debris, and in-between walls and buildings.​

​We usually tell people to look in the places you least expect. Cats when scared will try to find a place where they feel safe that is most-often not in the places people or predators would check first. Decks though are the best starting point.

Make a Lost Cat Flyer at PetFBI.

Tips for making a lost cat flyer ​

Use a clear image of your cat. ​

Make sure to describe any unique markings on your cat, or if he/she was wearing a collar when they went missing.

Include the cross street and date where/when your cat was last seen

Keep it simple- Don't include unnecessary writing on your poster or people may not read it.

Print your poster on bright colored paper such as yellow, orange or pink.

Distribute flyers door to door and post flyers in a 3-mile radius from where your cat was last seen. ​

Talking to your neighbors and letting them know your cat is missing is more effective because it means more eyes will be looking out for your cat.​

​We suggest when handing out flyers to also knock on your neighbor’s doors on your block and let them know your cat is missing.​

Distributing posters to veterinary clinics, pet stores, and shelters near your house is also a good idea.

Go out at dawn, dusk, or at night and walk around your block and the block behind you. Bring a friend or family member and just talk to each other. ​

Most cats will not respond to someone yelling their name, but if they hear their owner talking, they are more likely to feel comfortable meowing for you or coming out. ​​

Yelling your cat’s name is not effective because cat’s do not respond to their name as much as the tone of your voice. Saying your cats name in a calm tone like you are just talking to them normally is the best way to get them to respond to your voice. ​

Put out a food bowl with a little bit of dry food at night near where your cat got out. Place a trail camera behind the food bowl and somewhat hidden, but not obscured so the camera can take a clear picture.​

I recommend this trail camera , but most trail camera’s now a days work very well.​​

​If you are seeing raccoons or other wildlife coming to the bowl stop leaving food out, your cat is not likely to come eat at a bowl where other animals scent has been. This is not true if your cat is an outdoor only cat though.

Visit your local animal shelter's website and see if your cat is listed on their lost and found page. The map below shows animal shelters in the Metro Denver area. ​

If your cat was microchipped, call the microchip company.

​ If you do not know your pets microchip company, you can look it up on here by entering their microchip number. Once you have called the company, make sure your contact info is up-to-date and that the company knows your pet is lost.

Post a Missing Cat ad on Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Facebook.

Follow Us:

For curious cats check in with your immediate neighbors. Calling in a calm tone and shaking a bag of treats from their point of escape is also a good idea. Curious cats are more likely to come out when they hear their owners.

under decks, under sheds, under houses and in crawlspaces, in bushes, under cars, under any trash, piles of wood or debris, and in-between walls and buildings.

We usually tell people to look in the places you least expect. Cats when scared will try to find a place where they feel safe that is most-often not in the places people or predators would check first. Decks though are the best starting point.

Tips for making a lost cat flyer

Use a clear image of your cat.

Distribute flyers door to door and post flyers in a 3-mile radius from where your cat was last seen.

Talking to your neighbors and letting them know your cat is missing is more effective because it means more eyes will be looking out for your cat.

We suggest when handing out flyers to also knock on your neighbor’s doors on your block and let them know your cat is missing.

Go out at dawn, dusk, or at night and walk around your block and the block behind you. Bring a friend or family member and just talk to each other.

Most cats will not respond to someone yelling their name, but if they hear their owner talking, they are more likely to feel comfortable meowing for you or coming out.

Yelling your cat’s name is not effective because cat’s do not respond to their name as much as the tone of your voice. Saying your cats name in a calm tone like you are just talking to them normally is the best way to get them to respond to your voice.

Put out a food bowl with a little bit of dry food at night near where your cat got out. Place a trail camera behind the food bowl and somewhat hidden, but not obscured so the camera can take a clear picture.

I recommend this trail camera , but most trail camera’s now a days work very well.

If you are seeing raccoons or other wildlife coming to the bowl stop leaving food out, your cat is not likely to come eat at a bowl where other animals scent has been. This is not true if your cat is an outdoor only cat though.

Visit your local animal shelter's website and see if your cat is listed on their lost and found page. The map below shows animal shelters in the Metro Denver area.

If you do not know your pets microchip company, you can look it up on here by entering their microchip number. Once you have called the company, make sure your contact info is up-to-date and that the company knows your pet is lost.