Lisa Brown
FINDING LOST CATS
Has Kitty Gone Missing?
Time is of the essence when your cat has gotten away, and I apologize if my schedule will not permit me to help you out at this time. I hope you will find the following information regarding LOST CATS helpful:
Cats KNOW how to get home if they are able and want to (They have kitty-GPS) unless they are trapped, injured, or no longer with us on the earth plane. Cats can return home many days, weeks, months, and even YEARS after they wandered off or were lost, so keep up the hope!
KITTY GPS
According to the Lost Pet Research project, there were reports of cats traveling home 50-80 miles in 2.5 years, 38 miles in 6 months, 30 miles in 10 days, and 20 miles in 21 days. This might be attributed to their discerning sense of SMELL, their ability to follow the earth's magnetic grids, or even a feline aptitude (sixth sense) for REMOTE VIEWING! Which leaves us with WHY did they leave? And why aren’t they coming home?
A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Many cats, especially indoor house cats, long to experience wilder-ness.* Can you imagine being stuck in the house for your entire life, watching it from a window? This type of lost cat is merely out on a “Walk About.” Some cats will watch, wait, and hatch a plan to get to roam free outdoors, if only for a little while.
These brave souls are out "finding themselves," and will often return home once they are good and ready.
*There are many SAFE ways to allow your cat an outdoor experience: Catios, cat walks with a safe harness, supervised yard time, or even using a backpack or stroller. A GPS Tracker for cats is another proactive way to keep tabs on your outdoor cat. I'm a big fan of Tractive GPS Mini for my two felines: www.tractive.com
If your lost cat is already an indoor / outdoor cat, there is still a reason they are not coming home. It’s worth investigating, because sometimes, by agreeing to make some changes, and feeling heard, a cat will return on their own. I’ve seen this happen MANY times.
CATS HAVE SUPERIOR HEARING
One cat I talked to expressed an extreme dislike of the jingle bell he was required to wear on his collar to keep away birds. Most cat collars come with bells attached, which can harm a cat's hearing over time or cause undue stress or anxiety. They also make cats more attractive to coyotes and other outdoor predators, so it's best to remove the bell from a collar after purchase.
Scientific Fact: Birds respond much better to bright COLOR than sound as a warning system on a collar.
Check out: Birds-Be-Safe Collars for cats
Once his people agreed to remove the deafening bell, this Tomcat returned home within a few hours, and with much appreciation.
GO LOW and CHECK BACK OFTEN
Cats typically go low and hide under things when they are outdoors. Have neighbors check garages and under bushes where they may be watching you search. Most cats will not come out for a stranger's voice, so check back often.
Go out at night. Cats are more likely to come out at dusk or at night when they are not as visible to other animals that might be predators. It is usually not helpful to search in the daytime.
CATS DON'T LIKE CHANGE
Cats don’t like change, but most cats are also very attached to their turf (unlike dogs who are happy to be wherever their people are.) What is going on at home? Is there chaos, stress, loud noises, or upheaval?
Are significant changes happening? Cats won’t appreciate change, especially if they don't have a say in it, and they definitely have opinions about it. Animal Communication can help by understanding their unique point of view about things. Sometimes cats are trying to get you to make a shift in your life as well.
CATS USE SMELL AS A BAROMETER
The very first thing every cat wants to do when it meets you is sniff your fingers. This is how they find out all kinds of pertinent information about you and where you've been. In the natural environment they will use smell to navigate their surroundings. Your scent is also comforting to them when you are away from home.
Helpful Hint: Sprinkle some of YOUR urine* out in the yard! Crazy, I know, but I first learned this twenty years ago from the pioneer Pet Psychic, Sonia Fitzpatrick, who swore by it, and I never forgot it. Your pee is
a calling card that sends out a “beacon” for them to pick up on a location and follow the scent back home.
* DO NOT put your cat's litter box or used litter in the yard. It can attract unwanted predators or cats.
Lastly, remain emotionally connected to your cat with as much love, CALM, and confidence in them as you can muster. Imagine sending your kitty heart to heart love on an imaginary beam of light, and keep talking to them! It's like sending a search light that can help them reunite with you and find their way safely home.