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Lost cat? What to do if your cat goes missing: Expert advice from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Heartbroken by a missing cat? Bridie Williams, from the UK's leading animal welfare charity, shares essential tips to help you find your cat.
How to find a missing cat
1. Make sure your cat is microchipped
To ensure you have the best chance of being reunited with your cat if they ever go missing, it’s important to make sure they are microchipped.
Avoid your cat going missing in the first place by ensuring you have their microchip details to hand and that your contact details are up to date.
From 10 June 2024, it will become law for all cats in England to be microchipped before they are 20 weeks old, so make sure to check your pet’s microchip is up to date.
2. Thoroughly check your home
If you have lost a cat, there are several things you can do to help find your pet as soon as possible. First and foremost, it’s important to check around your home in every room and small holes they could have climbed into, as well as sheds and garages in the local area - and ask people and businesses in the local area to check their sheds, garages and outbuildings too.
Cats can squeeze into very small spaces, so it’s important to check if they’re hiding or could have gotten themselves stuck.
3. Make use of their sense of smell
Cats roam over wide areas so they may have wandered further than they were expecting from home. Cats have a very strong sense of smell, so it can be useful to leave out a blanket or bedding they regularly use to help them find their way home.
Cats often flee to a hiding place if they are hurt so check hedges etc if you live in the countryside.
Report your cat as missing to local vets and animal rescue centres
You can also report your cat as missing to nearby vets, as someone in the local area may have taken them in to have their microchip scanned or if your cat has been injured.
Many rescue centres like Battersea keep a lost and found database where your details can be saved in case your cat is found. Battersea has a dedicated team who help to reunite thousands of pets with their owners every year through our Lost Dogs and Cats Line which is open seven days a week to receive reports of missing or found animals within the M25 area. There are also similar schemes across the country.
Spread the word
Spreading the word in your local area is another helpful way to reunite with your cat. Battersea has its own missing poster, which you can add your pet’s details to. Make sure you put the posters inside waterproof sleeves to protect them from the rain if you are putting them up outdoors.
Love cats? Check out our pets section for advice on cat care, from how to take your cat to the vet without stress to how to get rid of fleas and even how to stop cats pooping in your garden
Leading animal welfare charity, Battersea, is here for every dog and cat, and has been since 1860. Battersea offers love and expert care to dogs and cats who need them by rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals at its centres, and by sharing our knowledge and resources with other organisations around the world. They do this because they want to help every dog and cat, everywhere.
For more advice and tips for caring for your pets, find out more on the Battersea website