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This “How to Find a Lost Cat” video is meant for shelters as educational background of why so many lost cats are never found–and what people are doing wrong. Video tutorial on Lost Cat Tips and techniques is available at: http://www.lostcatfinder.com/how-to-find-a-lost-cat-tips
About 12K lost cats a week are never found because the general public doesn’t know the new search techniques to find cats and give up too soon.
The Cat Detective (pet detective) offers a booklet and video at the LostCatFinder website with details and examples of the right way to search for a missing cat. The on-demand video for “HOW TO FIND a LOST CAT” is available at www.LostCatFInder.com.
A log of recent Lost cats found and happy reunions is on Facebook page at:https://www.facebook.com/LostCatFinder
Custom help from the Lost Cat Finder is also available 24/7 at http://tinyurl.com/lostcathelp
Transcript:
Lost cats–12K a week are never found because the general public doesn’t know the right way to search. A missing cat is an urgent situation. Only 8% of lost cats come home on their on. 50K cats are lost each week in the US–about 12K are never found. If your cat goes missing, take action right away.
Lost Cat Recovery info:
165 million pets in the US
One in 3 pets are lost in their lifetime.
That’s 5.5 million a year: 2.7 million are cats.
That’s 50,000 lost cats per week!
625,000 cats/year lost
12 thousand per week are never found.
People do not know how to search for a displaced cat.
Cat behavior changes dramatically when displaced
People give up too soon.
People do all the wrong things when searching for a missing cat. This is why the recovery rate is so low.
Owners behave in ways that inhibit their chances of finding their lost cat. Most develop “tunnel vision” and fail to find cat because they focus on wrong theories or beliefs.
“I’m not too worried, my cat has a microchip!”
Some owners think that because cat a microchip, they don’t really need to search. They mistakenly believe a microchip tracks an animal’s whereabouts or means they’ll get a call “when he turns up.” Microchips only serve to identify an animal brought into a vet or shelter.
Many owners fall into “grief avoidance” within the first week of searching: give up all search efforts.
Feel helpless and alone, discouraged by others who rebuke them and tell them “It was just a cat” or “You’ll never find your cat.”
Would rather give up than stay in the stressed mode of searching and worrying.
Biggest reason tame, friendly cats end up at shelters: the owners simply stopped looking too soon to avoid stressful emotions.
THe Silence Factor: A lost cat’s reluctance to come out of hiding when they hear your call has nothing to do with whether they love you– it’s simply the fact a frightened cat will hide in silence.
They will not meow. They will not move.
Instinctually, they know meowing gives up their location to a possible predator. They are just too afraid to risk it.
A study of domestic cats equipped with video collars revealed that some gregarious cats have two homes and visit both daily.
When a cat with two homes disappears, it could be because one family left on vacation with the cat locked indoors with a pet sitter.
Searching for Clues
Avoid getting tunnel vision: Important clues are easy to miss if you’re only focused on seeing your cat. Keep an eye out for ground disturbances, clumps of fur, smells, green flies, predator scat, and unusual bird and squirrel noise levels.
Each Cat’s Personality Determines How To search
Individual search strategy for each type of lost cat.
Many people assume a cat w/o collar is a stray.
Rescuer mentality of “saving abandoned cat”
Stray cats make their rounds, then go home.
Feral cats are rarely seen and do not approach people.
TNR (trap neuter, release)
Ear tagging (designates as fixed feral)
Shelters are full of friendly pet cats whose owners gave up searching too soon.
Cats can end up in shelter months or years after being displaced.
When you see a new cat wandering your neighborhood, think of it as LOST, not STRAY.
If worried, take a picture & post on Craigslist or neighbor newsletter. Hang FOUND CAT posters near area.
“Never Assume or Give up too soon.”
Kim Freeman, Pet Detective
Lost Cat Recovery Services
www.LostCatFinder.com
