Hi collie! I'm C&Ping a reply I wrote to a poster awhile back on the Pet Forum. I hope you'll find it useful.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Hi there. I can imagine just how you feel, as I've been there too. It's crushing to lose your kitty!
In my lifetime, his has happened to me twice, & both times I got my cat back. I pray that you will too.
For what it's worth, this is what I've learned:
A lost dog & a lost cat behave differently. Dogs will run, & the more frightened & confused they are, the more & further they'll run. They can cover some distance, poor things!
With a cat, barring a violent attack (coyote, raccoon, fox, etc.), or someone picking the cat up & physically taking them, a lost cat is ALMOST ALWAYS trapped somewhere VERY close by; a garage, a basement, etc. Cats do NOT travel far, so if your cat is lost, ask every single neighbor to open their garage & their basement to let you call to the kitty. Insist, in a neighborly way, of course.
FindToto is a site that works as an Amber Alert for lost pets. They use a calling system similar to those used for emergency broadcasts. The size of the 'package' you buy, dictates how broad an area the alert will be sent to. Unfortunately, they only call land lines - not cell phones. Should you choose to go that route, I would select the smallest area, since cats stay close to home.
FindToto.com
List the lost pet on your local Craig's List lost pet forum, but also list the pet in all surrounding counties.
Call every single humane society, animal pound & shelter - not only in your immediate area, but those beyond, & visit them, if possible. In addition, most of these places have email addresses. Email a description of the lost pet & a picture, if possible. They are WONDERFUL people & a great resource which is there to help!
Make fliers & stuff every singe mailbox & post on car windshields for as many blocks as you can, & ask area businesses if you can post a flier in their window.
My 1st missing cat was found locked in a neighbor's basement, 2 houses up from me. She was there for 3 weeks, poor baby! The couple who lived there were in the military, & on the day my cat went missing, they had opened up their basement doors & were putting their patio furniture away, because they were going away. When they returned after 3 weeks, they found my cat in their cellar. I was beside myself to have her back!
My 2nd kitty was found after 4 days, locked inside a neighbor's garage, just 2 houses down from me. I could see that garage from my kitchen window. The homeowner swore there was no cat in there, but I begged him to unlock the door, & ...there was my kitty!
BTW, FindToto was a hoot! I had neighbors saying 'We got your alert last night!', so they DO make those calls.
Good luck! I'll be thinking of you.
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