🐾 PET RESCUERS 🐾 SCAN ANGELS 🐾 ANIMAL LAW 🐾 SOLENSIA
Lost Pet
Lost a cat?
Losing a cat is a distressing experience, but please don’t lose hope. Most lost cats don’t run away, they are simply hiding close by, scared and waiting for the world to feel safe again.
Every year, we help hundreds of local families reunite with their missing pets. Below is some guidance based on our collective experience and various studies.
💡 Why Do Cats Go Missing?
Even the most confident or routine-oriented cats can disappear suddenly. Common reasons include:
- Loud noises like fireworks, storms, bin lorries, or barking dogs.
- Dominant or unneutered cats in the area chasing others off their territory.
- Friendly cats visiting multiple homes may simply stay away longer than expected.
- Indoor-only cats who escape will often freeze in the first hiding place they find—usually very close to home.
- Recent moves or rehoming can disorient cats, leading them to hide in fear.
⚠️ Once moved into a new home, it is crucial to keep your cat locked indoors for 2 weeks, so they could familiarize themselves with new environment.
🔍 How Far Do Lost Cats Go?
A major study of over 1,200 missing cats found that:
- 75% were found within 500 metres of home.
- Indoor-only cats typically hide within just 10 houses’ distance.
- 83% were found hiding in gardens, under decking or shrubs.
- Half were found within 7 days, and the majority within 8 weeks.
Most cats don’t come when called while scared—they stay hidden in silence, often for 10–12 days, even if you’re standing right next to them.
✅ What You Should Do Immediately
1. Search Immediately and Often
- Start right away. Your cat is most likely nearby and may not have moved far.
- Walk up and down your road and parallel streets multiple times daily.
- Call in a calm, friendly voice. Sound anxious and your cat may stay hidden.
- Walk towards home as you call, so your cat doesn’t follow you farther away.
2. Call During Quiet Hours
- Nighttime and early mornings are ideal—when it’s quiet and sound travels further.
- Cats feel safer in the dark and are more likely to respond.
- Bring smelly food (tuna, chicken) or gently shake a familiar treat bag.
3. Look in Hiding Spots
- Check under decking, sheds, bushes, garages, and behind bins.
- If possible, ask neighbours to check their gardens too—many cats are found this way.
4. Use Familiar Scents
- Leave something with a strong scent from home (blanket, worn T-shirt, or used litter) in your garden.
- These scents help guide your cat back when it's ready.
📣 Publicise Your Cat’s Disappearance
1. Leaflet Locally
- Distribute leaflets to every home on your road and surrounding streets.
- Include a clear photo, your mobile number, and a request to check sheds, gardens, and decking.
2. Post Online
- Share on:
- Our Facebook Group: Lost and Found Pets in Cambridge UK and Surrounding Areas LFPCSA
- Nextdoor and local community pages
- Neighbourhood Watch forums
- Notify your vet and microchip company right away to ensure your details are correct and flagged.
3. Alert Key People
- Inform your postman, refuse collectors, and milkman—they see everything and often spot missing pets.
💛 Please Don’t Give Up
Cats are masters of survival. Many stay hidden for days or even weeks before finally emerging. Staying consistent and calm in your search is key. The majority are found, and most are closer than you think.
If you need help, feel free to reach out to us at LFPCSA. We’re here to support you.
Found Pet
Found a cat?
Thank you for caring enough to stop and help. That cat in your garden, on your doorstep, or wandering your street might be lost, frightened, or injured—and your actions can make all the difference.
Here’s how to help them safely and responsibly:
🐾 1. Observe the Cat’s Behaviour and Condition
Ask yourself:
- Does the cat have a collar or tag?
- Is it clean, confident, and well-fed, or does it look thin, dirty, or confused?
- Is it friendly, or hiding and skittish?
⚠️ Not all wandering cats are lost. Some roam by nature—but if a cat suddenly appears, is hungry, or lingers, it may need help.
🏠 2. Secure the Cat Safely (If Possible)
If the cat is approachable:
- Bring it inside to a quiet room, away from other pets.
- Offer fresh water. Usually it is not recommended to feed a cat, unless it's visibly neglected/stray. If you feed it, use plain chicken, tuna, or wet cat food in small amounts.
- Keep windows closed and provide a litter tray if keeping indoors.
If the cat is timid:
- Offer shelter like a cardboard box with blankets in a quiet corner of your garden.
- Avoid scaring or chasing—just observe for now.
📎 3. Use a Paper Collar
Paper collars are an easy, non-intrusive way to check if a cat has a home nearby. They often help determine whether the cat is truly lost or just a local explorer being cheeky with food.
You can download a printable template below.
📡 4. Scan for a Microchip
Take the cat to any vet—they will scan it for a microchip free of charge. This is one of the quickest ways to locate an owner. Alternatively, contact us; we will come and scan the cat.
📸 5. Document the Cat
Take:
- Clear photos (face and full body)
- Note:
- Colour and markings
- Approximate age and sex
- Distinctive features or behaviour
📣 6. Publicise the Find
- Post in our group:
Lost and Found Pets in Cambridge UK and Surrounding Areas (LFPCSA), and include:- Where and when the cat was found
- Whether scanned for chip
- If it's wearing a paper collar
- A photo
- Also post on:
- Nextdoor
- Community noticeboards
- Animal Search UK, and local Facebook groups
Avoid posting every identifying detail—ask claimants to describe key traits to verify ownership.
📨 7. Check Lost Reports
Search our group and lost pet sites to see if the cat matches any ongoing appeals. Sometimes a match is waiting just a few streets away.
🐈 8. Give the Cat Time
Some cats simply rest before heading home. But if no one comes forward in 7 days (or sooner if the cat is injured or at risk), message LFPCSA or contact your local rescue. We’ll help assess the next steps.
🧡 You Could Be a Lifeline
Your small act of kindness—whether offering food, shelter, or posting a photo—could be what reunites a cat with their family.
Thank you for caring.