Lost your Cat? Heres What to Do!

If after all your care your cat still goes missing there are things that you can do. Remember, speed is very important - starting the search sooner rather than later gives a much better chance of success.

Phone

• Leave your name, phone number and a description of your dog with the Garda Stations nearest to you (in the surrounding region as well). 
• Phone vets in the locality and leave your pets details and your contact details with them. 
• Look up the Golden Pages and get a list of boarding kennels and rescue centres in your locality. Ask each one you ring for the name of another (they may not all be listed in the book).
• Contact the county council in your area, they all have a service which collects dead animals hit by cars, etc. (sad to think, but better to know)

Get Out and About

• Go around the roads calling him by name and also using whatever method you use to call him/her to meals e.g. banging a tin or glass.
• Visit all neighbouring houses in the locality and ask them to check sheds and garages.
• If you have other cats, bring them out with you when you are looking for the lost one - they will smell their housemate much sooner than you will see him/her, and they will leave a scent that may help the lost animal to find their way back.
• Visit building sites & schools. Always ask children, as they will often notice a straying cat quicker than an adult does.
• Compose a poster giving a good description of your cat, age, sex, whether neutered, colour, noting any distinguishing features and, if possible, including a recent photograph. Make photocopies and leaflet the entire area, not just your road but all the surrounding area.
• Place posters (with a picture if possible) in local shops, supermarkets, garages, ATM machines, DART/Train stations, bus stops, libraries, Churches, pedestrian lights, local dry cleaners, take aways, vets & doctors surgeries...anywhere that people gather. 
• Don't give out a landline number on any poster or flyer that will be seen by the general public. Always use a mobile number (two if possible, one could be off), and/or specify a Garda station or vet surgery that people can contact with details (be sure that the vet/Guards know that you are doing this!).
• Expect hoax calls - sadly, there are some nasty people out there - but follow everything up nonetheless. You could try leaving out one particular piece of information about your animal from the poster/flyer, just to check if the person calling has actually seen him/her. If someone asks you to collect the animal from an address, don't go alone...just in case.
• Show a picture of the cat to lollipop ladies / men.

Media

• Check all Lost & Found resources.
• Advertise in the press and continue to put ads. in after the initial three days. Cats have been found months after being lost, mainly due to their owners' perseverance.
• Place an ad in Evening Herald (Found ads are free) Tel: 048 37 516 516
• Advertise in the Buy&Sell with a 'reward', don't say how much. Several people have reported this worked for them.
• Place ad in local papers (eg Northside News, Citywide, Meath Chronicle)

Please remember, if you are lucky and find your cat please remember to take the notices down, inform and thank those who helped in the search.

Thank you to irishanimals.ie for this Advice Sheet

Click here to submit details of any pet lost or found in your area.