Lost Smokey Tabby: Help Find Moo!

Listing al494319 posted on Facebook Pet911 South Australia

Research by Missing Animal Response Network (MAR): A study was conducted by the University of Queensland where 1,232 cat owners who’d lost a cat took part (Kat Albrecht and Dr. Jacquie Rand conceived the study and UOQ and MPP collaborated on the study). Here is a summary of results: • The method most successful in recovering a missing cat was conducting a thorough physical search of the area. • The median distance found (how far the cats traveled) for missing outdoor-access cats was 315m. This is roughly a 17-house radius from their home. • The median distance for escaped indoor-only cats was much less—it was only 50m which is roughly a 2-3 house radius from their home. Obtaining permission from your neighbours to search their property is critical! Simply handing them a flyer and asking them to “keep an eye out” IS NOT ENOUGH! Your neighbour is not going to get on hands and knees to look under their deck or house, yet that is where your cat is most likely to be! It is up to you the owner to conduct this type of slow, methodical search. A flashlight should be used to see your cat’s eye shine in dark places. Additional Lost Cat Behaviors The Silence Factor: This is a term to describe lost cat behavior when a displaced cat will hide in silence. It is a natural form of protection. The Silence Factor kills many cats that may be sick or injured and hiding, as owners are typically busy “looking” for their cat at the local shelter or putting flyers on telephone poles. Instead they should be conducting an aggressive, physical search of the immediate area remembering the cat is likely to be close by but hiding in silence. The Threshold Factor: This is an interesting behavioral pattern where a cat that is hiding eventually breaks cover and meows, return to their home or finally enters a humane trap. While some cats take hours to a few days to reach their threshold, many take several days (typically 10 to 12 days) before they break cover, most likely due to starvation and thirst, although more research needs to be conducted into this. Myths for finding lost cats: The MAR Network does NOT recommend using kitty litter placed outside your home as the urine/faeces scent could attract aggressive cats into a yard where the missing cat may be hiding. When an indoor-only cat escapes, it is often hiding within the territory of another (outside) cat. Dirty cat litter can attract community “toms” (intact males)-predisposing them to want to defend their territory and draw them into an area where the displaced cat may be hiding. MAR do not advise posting a reward as this can lead people to chase your cat possibly scaring it into a yard where dogs reside or onto a busy road. For full article please search online for Missing Animal Response (MAR) Network. IMPORTANT NOTICE: If your pet’s microchip is registered with HomeSafe ID, please be aware that their database is no longer operational, and any registered details are no longer accessible. To check which company currently manages your pet’s microchip, visit petaddress online and enter the microchip number. If it indicates that the chip is linked to HomeSafe ID, you will need to re-register the microchip with an active registry such as Central Animal Records (CAR), Australasian Animal Registry (AAR), or another provider of your choice. This can be done online and is relatively simple. Please note that once the transfer is initiated, it may still take a number of weeks for the updated information to appear in the database. If you do not know your pet’s microchip number, a veterinary clinic you’ve previously visited should be able to provide it from their records. Hope this helps, good luck 🐾🐈‍⬛. See full comment

https://pethelpful.com/cats/lost-cat?fbclid=IwAR3FIu4Y_ADaIljfiJGc65UpnWxegpM-f37lWOgKSfTk5skHKNANR80Zpu8. See full comment

https://www.scaredycats.com.au/find-lost-cat/find-lost-cat-step-by-step-guide/?fbclid=IwAR2rlR7tQICwPPYWXVckyG0Poexv4ECI4HepjVJkbEqBA_pErtIb8MuwqPo. See full comment

They can sneak into neighbours sheds and get locked in. They can also sometimes get over high fences, then not be able to get back, and even get into the roofs of houses and get stuck. They can also get stuck down storm drains. Letter box the surrounding streets asking people to check their sheds. Ask them to leave sheds open for 20 mins and walk away, as cat might be too scared to come out with strangers there. Also walk the neighbourhood late at night, when it is really quiet, and call your cat. You have a better chance of hearing them if they are stuck somewhere. Best of luck. 🤞. See full comment

Please check found groups - Cats found in SA statewide https://www.facebook.com/share/1BDgXJ9zQv/. See full comment

Post in https://www.facebook.com/groups/5613/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/8763/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT.