Caron Tuttle, Atascosa Animal Allies
September 7, 2021
Hannah Senser, Ruff Start Rescue
September 14, 2021
A missing pet means anxiety, fear, sorrow, and uncertainty for owners. According to the most recent white paper findings from Shelter Animals Count, the return to owner rate for dogs in 2020 was 40.7%—but cats were a fraction of that, at only 5.1%. So what can we, as pet owners and community members, do to boost that number? How do we get cats who have homes back into them?
As a pet owner
You can take action to prevent your cat from getting lost and increase the odds that your kitty will be returned, should they go missing. Keeping your cat indoors or only letting them out when supervised (or in a catio) are great ways to be sure your cat stays safe. Plus, not allowing free access to the outdoors has the added bonus of minimizing impact on wildlife. It also means your cat is less likely to fall victim to predators, traffic, or accidents.
Microchipping your cat is another precaution that can pay off if your kitty is missing. For many pet parents, however, microchipping is a mysterious, misunderstood practice. Michelson Found Animals has some great videos that helps to explain what microchipping can and can’t do. Spoiler alert: There isn’t an app for that. Microchips are only as valuable as the database their information is stored in. Be sure to keep your microchip information current. Make a habit of updating it annually. If you haven’t microchipped your pets, low- and no-cost microchipping programs are out there. Contact your local shelter for a referral or to find out more.
Social networks and online forums have made searching for a lost pet a community endeavor. Using apps like Nextdoor or local Facebook groups for missing and lost pets have helped expand searches. There are even specialty sites like Pawboost.com and Lostmykitty.com that offer both free and paid listings to spread the word about your missing cat to neighbors, shelters, and forums. Along with these, you are best served by contacting your local shelters and rescues with your pet’s photo, description, and microchip number. Cats can travel or be accidentally transported away from home, so checking with shelters and rescues outside of your immediate area is beneficial as well.
Don’t forget to read up on lost cat behavior. While cats can end up far from home, they most often stick close by. Check out this post for great tips on the best way to search for your cat, and what they’re likely to do when lost. You can also read our blog post on the topic (note that some links/sites are no longer active).
As a community member
Cats, even those with homes, are more likely than any other pet to occupy an indoor/outdoor space unrestricted. When you see an unsupervised cat in the neighborhood, it might not be your first instinct to assume that it is lost. Communicating with your neighbors —through a social media app or face to face— is a great way to find out if the cat has a home and is missing. Asking, “Do you know whose cat this is?” is a great way to connect with your neighbors and return a potentially lost kitty to their home.
American Pets Alive has a handy checklist of what to do should you find a healthy, friendly cat. Taking a good photo, posting online, and getting the cat checked for a microchip are all actions that can result in the cat being returned to their home.
As a pet owner or a community member, there are several actions that you can take to improve the chances that lost cats are returned to their homes. Keeping your cat in your home, microchipping, and connecting with your neighbors/community in person and online are all great ways to help make sure cats are homeward bound!
Interested in learning more?
Join us this weekend on Sunday, September 12, for Online Return to Home Day.
Listen to the Community Cats Podcast Episode 414 featuring Return to Home Day presenter Christi Metropole, Founder of Stray Cat Alliance.
Based in Colorado, Emily Zaynard fills her community with computers, cats, and coffee. When she’s not getting social online, Emily volunteers doing local TNR and socializing kittens for adoption. She believes in stopping into art museums, historic homes, and cat cafes and hopes to travel again soon!
