Resources
Help! My cat got outside and I cant find them!
Act fast and ACTIVELY search! Search high and low, especially at night when it's quiet. No matter their personality, a scared kitty may or may not respond to your calls. Using a flashlight at night will help reflect their eyes.
Post to Front Porch Forum and/or NextDoor to let your neighbors know to look out for your cat. Also post on Vermont Lost & Found Pets and Lost & Found Animals of Vermont on Facebook immediately to reach a wider audience. Towns like Winooski have a “Cats of Winooski” facebook page for lost/found cat info.
Make a "Lost Cat" flyer on day 1 or as soon as possible. Canva.com is free and has a "Lost Dog" template. Place flyers in a plastic sheet and hang them all over your neighborhood as soon as possible. Bring duct tape and push pins with you. Also, send a copy to vet clinics in the area (including emergency vets) and the shelter or humane society. Go door-to-door in your neighborhood and hand the flyers out to neighbors and dog walkers.
Leave the door or window from which your cat escaped open 24/7 in case they try to return home. Make sure other pets are safe and secure inside.
Rent a humane trap from your local humane society. Place it near the escape route or near the last place your cat was seen. Place a piece of your clothing or their blanket in the trap and bait it with sardines, cooked chicken or their favorite food. Watch the trap closely and NEVER leave it unattended for any length of time. Trail cameras are very handy to have when tracking their movements.
