Guest Post Segment
Today, we have The Cat Detective, Kim Freeman joining us to share an ameowzing post all about:
Lost Cat Tips, Prevention, & Worst-case Scenario Preparation
Would you know what to do if someone left a door open and your cat escaped? Take these steps and know how to be ready in an emergency worst-case scenario.
HAVE THE IDEAL PHOTO READY
Take a side view photo of your cat in case you ever need it for a lost cat flyer and poster. The most useful image is your cat standing in a side view (including their tail) facing the camera.
Take one now, just in case you ever need it.
PREPARE
A LOST CAT KIT
Store photos, microchip number and a mock-up lost cat flyer with your cat’s Emergency Kit or simply where it’s easy to access.
Should you ever need them, this kit will save you precious time and tons of stress.
The
ultimate preparation is to download the ebook, the Pet Finder’s Guide to How to Find
a Lost Cat
so you know the right steps for your situation and type of cat, as well as the
common mistakes to avoid (like putting out food and kitty litter).
GPS TRACKERS?
Everyone seems to think GPS is the ideal solution for lost cats, but GPS is actually less than ideal. GPS is short for Global Positioning Satellites, which are in the sky. Cats hide tend to hide UNDER things. If your cat does go missing, their “heavy necklace” is useless once the 3-day battery has died.
An alternative system few people know about are the RF cat tracking devices, which are tiny and based on radio waves that can find cats under things like decks and porches - even down storm drains.
Even simpler, and totally independent of glitchy apps, SIM cards and texting plans is a simple breakaway LED lighted collar strip. The glow will show where your cat is hiding and stays lit for weeks, rather than a few days. This is especially useful for cats who go out, but you need to see them in the dark get them in before bedtime.
SAFE
TRANSPORT
This sounds basic, but you'd be surprised how many pet owners put their cats at risk. A cat inside a car can escape when involved in a traffic accident. They can jump out when a door is opened (see the case of a cat lost at a gas station at night). Cat carriers have been known to break open during traffic accidents, in vet parking lots, and on conveyor belts at airports. No matter how crabby your cat becomes with confinement, make sure you transport them in a secure carrier.
COLLAR
& MICROCHIP
Even indoor-only cats should have a collar and chip because if they ever do get out, they’re at risk of one day ending up in an animal shelter months after you’ve stopped searching.
Micro-chipping is equivalent to a serial number your cat carries and it’s used for identification only. Microchips are not GPS trackers and are only detectable with an expensive microchip scanner used by shelters, vets, and rescue groups. Get your cat chipped now while it’s still possible, then go home register the chip to YOU at your CURRENT address and phone number or it is just a number with no name.
TRAIN YOUR CAT to enter a baited humane trap. In indoor only, teach your kitty that humane traps = food and safety. You want them to enter quickly and gladly should you ever need to use one, such as after a carrier accident in a veterinarian’s parking lot.
Get
a humane trap available on this tools and
equipment page, and
run a bungee cord to hold it open. Feed
your cat inside the trap until he enters and leaves without fear. If your cat
should ever escape outdoors, you will increase your chances of recovery because
your cat associates traps with food and is not afraid to enter.
BIRD ALERTS
Should your cat ever escape and you have no idea which direction, listen to the birds. They will issue raucous alarm calls to let each other know there is a predator in the area. Blue jays and mockingbirds are especially vocal when they spot a cat. They make a specific alarm call you can learn to recognize. Examples of various bird alarms on cats are included in the ebook, How to Find a Lost Cat by the Lost Cat Finder.
Kim Freeman
“The Cat Detective”
Lost Cat reunion stories
https://www.facebook.com/LostCatFinder
Very many thanks to Kim for joining us today and for all her expert advice, we especially liked getting the Lost Cat Kit together just in case; forward planning saves critical time in this type of scenario and mew have lots of valuable tips should the wurst happen, and we highly recommend getting Kim's e-book guide or bookmark this page for future reference, as mew never know when mew might need it. We really hope mew never do, but just in case - be purrpared.
Also, mew can hire Kim and her cat Henry for an In-Person Search + on-site search and rescue should mew need to; she has over 8 years experience in finding and reuniting lost pets with their owners, although do check this service is available as with the covid-19 situation it might not be possible in the current climate. But do visit her website anyway as Henry, a gorgeous tuxedo is also a bonafide Sniffer Cat who helps Kim to find lost cats, what an epic dude, he can join The B Team any time for an adventure!
Amber will be here tomorrow with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, so do stop by if mew get chance and don't furget it's her 18th birthday pawty on Caturday, and mew're all invited.
Until next time...
**All Photo's Supplied by Kim Freeman Copyright and Links are not Affiliates**