Before you jump to any conclusions, make sure you've thoroughly checked your entire home. Sometimes we think our cat has gone missing when they simply got locked in the basement or they've found a nice secluded spot behind boxes in your closet. Cats are notorious for not responding when we call for them. 


1. Keep calm. The best thing you can do for your cat right now is calm down and think rationally about what's happened. 

2. Be Proactive. The first 48 hours after your cat has gone missing are the most important hours. The more you delay the search for your cat, the less likely you are to finding him or her.

"...cat owners tend to wait 3 days before searching for their cat, while dog owners tend to wait 1 day. Educating cat owners that if they lose their cat they should immediately search their neighborhood would be a great way to take a piece of this research and put it into action!"

- Dr. Emily Weiss, aspcapro.org 

3. Retrace Steps. Was there a door left open?  When was it left open? Try and think back and piece together when everything happened. 
Knowing where might offer clues into the direction your cat may be hiding and knowing when will let you know how far your cat may have gotten before hiding. If you live on a busy street, chances are, your cat will hide during busy hours unlike a quieter street where a cat will likely roam a while before going into shock. Sometimes non routine things we do sometimes set a cat off right out of their own home. Unlikely but can still happen. Always take in the atmosphere and environment, they influence your cat's decisions.

4. Start your search. Drop everything you're doing and look everywhere you can. Has your cat gotten out before? Or perhaps he's allowed out in the backyard? If your cats been out before, he probably has a spot where he feels safe. Check under the porch, behind any bushes or up any trees in your yard. Check all the area around your yard that look like they could be a potential hideout for your kitty. Also check for area that may look like they could have been used as escape routes. Holes  dug out under fences, opened gates, remember some cats will hop a fence!

4.5 Heading in & Back out. Head in and grab some essentials you'll need for your search. First, grab some kibble and your cat's bowl, or some of your cat's favourite treats. Second, you'll want to make some fliers. They don't need to be perfect, you can always print off some polished ones later. This step is more for having something while your out doing step 5. If you don't already have a flier stored, you can always grab a photo of your cat. This is a half step but it's still really important. I've labeled this an in between step because sometimes we have no time to do this step or you can do this after you've done step 5. 

5. Spread out. Once you've covered the immediate area, it's time to spread out from your own yard. First, check your neighbour's yards. If you're able to, try and do a search through their yards as thorough as you did yours. Once you've checked your neighbours, expand again. You probably won't be able to search everyone's yard but you can knock on doors and let people know your cat is missing. This is a good time to have fliers handy. Even if people aren't home, you can always leave one at the doorstep. Always keep an eye out for clues. An open fence or a hole under a fence could be the perfect escape for your cat to head under a neighbour's porch.

6. Re-energize. If you need a moment to take a break, don't be ashamed or feel like a bad kitty parent. You can't focus or effectively search if you're tired or hungry. Head in and re-energize. Head back out as soon as you feel you've collected yourself. You can use this time to also get a better flier ready or call your friends and family to help out. If you've got kids, even better!

7. Night search. The night search is important because cats are nocturnal creatures. If they are hiding, this may be the time they feel they can move from their hiding spot. Grab a flashlight and bundle up if its cold. Canvas the area with your bowl of food or treats and call your cat's name. Reassure him with a high pitched voice, as if you were talking to baby. Always try and have a calm voice. Your cats will pick up on any stress in your voice and may not come out. Always make sure to stop and listen every so often. The night search is the time you'll be able to hear your cat. Listen for cat meows or rustling. Your cat could be scared, stuck or injured.

8. Overnight. At some point you'll have to call it a night. Don't worry, there are still things you can do while you're asleep. Grab his water and litter box and place them on the front porch. Don't clean the litter box before you put it out but do keep a note on what's in it. This will help tell if its been used overnight. If your cat has a bed, you can also place that out there too. You can also place one of your old dirty shirts in his bed while it's out there. You want something that has your smell on it so don't put out anything fresh out of the dryer. You can place some food out front but always remember other cats may come along instead. The same goes for the litter, don't assume it's your cat thats gone in there overnight. You're doing all this, to hopefully keep your cat around the area and not stray any further. 

What you can do if you want to be very proactive while you sleep, purchase some bells or a baby's monitor, attach the bells to your cat's food or place the monitor near the litter. If your window is near the front porch you could keep it open to hear any bells jingling but your best bet is with the monitor. You'll be able to hear the bells jingling or the litter being used. You may also be able to hear cries at night if your cats hiding nearby.

9. Network. Start with contacting your vet, local RSPCA, shelter, pound, whatever the equivalent is in your area. Let them know your cat's gone missing asap. If you can, stop by with a flyer. If you know the local paper boy, you can always ask if he's able to hand one out with the daily paper. You can also find out if your local paper has a missing pet section. Call local pet stores, they usually have missing flyers by their front door. 

You can also start by updating your status on Facebook, "Felix got out, help me look for him!" or send a tweet on Twitter. Look on sites that offer local sections like Reddit and Craigslist. Reddit offers multiple ways to get in touch with people. You can post to your local subreddit and also post under subreddits of nearby towns and cities.  

More and more people are using online databases to find and post lost animals. Sites like Tabby Tracker have a lost and found section but also many more resources you can use. You can also try Pet  Harbour or Lost Found Pets. There are but a few, there are many more, many that are specific to your area or Country.

10. Don't lose hope. And don't give up! Cats have gone missing for weeks and even months. Just because its been a couple weeks doesn't mean your cat is gone for good. Keep following these steps. Talk with your neighbours and let them know he's still missing. People sometimes assume your cat has been found or forget if a couple of weeks have passed. Keep everyone updated. That includes flyers you've put out. You can update your flyers with "Still Missing". Call your vet along with local vets and local shelters and let them know he's still missing. You can also stop by and update the flyers you have there. Always stop by the shelter and take a look around at the cats. Sometimes your cat may not appear as the same cat in your photos especially if a couple weeks have passed. 

"...75 percent of cats reported lost were returned safely to their homes."

- National Lost Pet Survey, Huffingtonpost.com