How to Catch a Loose Cat

Feb 25, 2021   Tracey Aston

Nothing is worse than not being able to find your beloved pet when they get loose. Unlike dogs, a loose cat may be harder to spot due to their size and ability to hide in small, low places.  The presence of feral colonies in the area may also lead those who see a lost cat to believe it is part of a colony and not a pet.  However, the good news is most cats, especially cats that live indoors, don't go far!

The first step in catching a loose cat is to look around the immediate area of where the cat went missing.  Check under porches, bushes, in garages and sheds – you would be surprised the places a frightened cat can hide.  If the cat got loose from their home, ask neighbors if they have seen your cat or to look around their yards for places a cat might hide.

If a cat is scared, their normal food won't do the trick.  Set out high value, yummy smelling food like tuna, meat or sardines. If you have a slow cooker, set it out on the porch with smelly foods cooking. If you have somewhere safe from the elements, set out the cat's blankets, bed or dirty cat litter and litter box. 

If you notice the food you put out is missing, you'll want to make sure it's your cat and not another animal that is eating the food. Cats can be sneaky, meaning they might come out to eat but not while anyone is around or watching.  For this reason, it's a good idea to set up a camera. Ring doorbells will work if they are pointed in the direction of the food, but they don't cover a large area.  Trail cameras can be a great option because they provide a wider view and most come with night vision, which isn't always the case with ring doorbells.

Put out flyers, post to social media and nextdoor and utilize apps like pawboost and missing pet.  As mentioned above, due to the presence of feral cats, you want to make sure everyone in the area knows a pet is missing! For more information on how to obtain reliable sightings through flyers, apps and social media, visit our blog post Lost Pet.

If you happen to see a loose cat, always check the immediate area for flyers and check social media and the above apps to see if someone has posted about their pet. Even if you aren't able to catch the cat, report the location. If a pet parent is looking for their lost pet, knowing the location of the pet can help with where to look or set up traps and if the pet is moving in a certain direction.

If you know where your cat has been hiding but haven't been able to reach them or coax them out, a humane trap is the next best chance. Humane traps are easy to set up and learn. One end of the trap is propped open and food is put at the opposite end. When the cat enters to get the food, the door closes. A scared and wary cat may not readily enter a trap, therefore, the trap should be larger than the cat and possibly covered, if possible. Humane traps should be checked often as a pet will be vulnerable to people, other animals and even elements if left too long.

Cats are intelligent and wary of new things, which can make catching them a challenge, but it's not impossible! Following the above steps will heighten your chances of being reunited with your best furry friend.