How Do I Get My Escaped Kitties Back?

[DungeonMaster]

Yeah,exactly- I think it might be good to give her a reliable food source for right now as I'm afraid if she did trigger that trap she may not go in it again( yet) --- if she does start eating you can lead her into the unset trap so nothing happens....

However ,she's friendly and loves your Mom so if she gets comfortable enough to eat at a specific time and hang around msybe your Mom can just pick her up ?????

That would be fantastic! Here’s hoping it was her so interested in the food.

 

[DungeonMaster]

Just checked and the food is untouched. Still raining.

 

[Kwik]

Just checked and the food is untouched. Still raining.

Still praying- have HOPE

 

[DungeonMaster]

No food touched today.

 

[DungeonMaster]

One of the neighbors said she set out food and it was partially eaten. She also said that her husband remarked that he saw a large gray squirrel, which was odd because we only have red squirrels in our neck of the woods. Upon seeing her picture, he remarked that it may have been my cat. She's putting more food out, which is good.

 

[Kwik]

One of the neighbors said she set out food and it was partially eaten. She also said that her husband remarked that he saw a large gray squirrel, which was odd because we only have red squirrels in our neck of the woods. Upon seeing her picture, he remarked that it may have been my cat. She's putting more food out, which is good.

Lol- Large squirrel !

How far is this neighbor from your place?

 

[DungeonMaster]

Lol- Large squirrel !

How far is this neighbor from your place?

Not too far. Maybe 200 feet. I'd like to set up a trail camera just to make sure it's her and not a deer or something before I set a trap. If she's in the area and sees another critter get trapped, it wouldn't be good.

 

[Kwik]

If it is her and you can get a specific time she comes to eat wouldn't she come to your Mom if your Mom was there to sit by?

Seems she was spooked by the trap and looked a bit further for food,I sure hope it's her

 

[DungeonMaster]

If it is her and you can get a specific time she comes to eat wouldn't she come to your Mom if your Mom was there to sit by?

Seems she was spooked by the trap and looked a bit further for food,I sure hope it's her

I hope so too. I don’t know if she’d come to my mom or not. She’s pretty scared, and it doesn’t help that my mom flew into a major depression this morning, saying her cat is never coming back and she wishes she were dead. I don’t know if I dare get her hopes up.

I hope I can get a camera up so I can see what’s happening.

 

[DungeonMaster]

Cameras came in and are up. Spoke with a pet detective who said she may not have reached her thirst/hunger threshold and that could be why she’s not responding to food. It doesn’t mean she isn’t in the area and is hiding in silence.

That’s good news. If I had any money, I’d totally hire her to actually come help. Not that I don’t have confidence in her coaching but I think it would improve Mom’s morale. She’s hit rock bottom.

 

[fionasmom]

You are doing everything that you can. We have had members here who recovered cats after several weeks, and I have personally known people who found a missing cat after a lengthy period of time. One was my cousin in FL who lost her house in a hurricane and found the cat two weeks later in the general area hiding in the beach grass.

 

[DungeonMaster]

Caught a random cat in one of our traps this morning. I want my cat home. No sightings since the night she apparently tried coming home.

 

[Norachan]

If she's spent any time outside before this escape she will undoubtedly know how to hunt and feed herself. Cats are very resilient. I've had some of my cats go missing for over a month and then find there way back home again. One of the feral cats I feed recently showed up again after being gone for more than two years. I'm sure your cat knows where she is and knows what she is doing.

Try putting that smells like your mum in the trap. A pillow case or t-shirt, a towel she has used, something like that.

 

[DungeonMaster]

If she's spent any time outside before this escape she will undoubtedly know how to hunt and feed herself. Cats are very resilient. I've had some of my cats go missing for over a month and then find there way back home again. One of the feral cats I feed recently showed up again after being gone for more than two years. I'm sure your cat knows where she is and knows what she is doing.

Try putting that smells like your mum in the trap. A pillow case or t-shirt, a towel she has used, something like that.

Tried that.

After doing a bunch of calling around, I finally found a search and rescue team willing to come to Minnesota, but it would cost around $3,000! There’s no one local to turn to and I’m going mad. I have no clue how to get that kind of money.

Some cat food by the window she escaped from was eaten (hopefully by her and not a random cat), but she didn’t enter if it was her. I managed to keep the window open and everything by moving the other cats upstairs and taking the dogs to bed with me.

I hope she hasn’t left the area. I spend all day vomiting and panicking.

 

[Kwik]

Tried that.

After doing a bunch of calling around, I finally found a search and rescue team willing to come to Minnesota, but it would cost around $3,000! There’s no one local to turn to and I’m going mad. I have no clue how to get that kind of money.

Some cat food by the window she escaped from was eaten (hopefully by her and not a random cat), but she didn’t enter if it was her. I managed to keep the window open and everything by moving the other cats upstairs and taking the dogs to bed with me.

I hope she hasn’t left the area. I spend all day vomiting and panicking.

Even if you hired the very best local tracker dog in your area there's no guarantee of anything so that's awfully steep- I'm sure out in your parts where there are lots of woods you can find K9 search teams specifically trained to follow pet scent-,Dogs Finding Dogs are a non- profit org
410) 908-6374...there are non profit organizations that operate on donations

Before you think about hiring any tracking svc check with MASDN (Missing Animal Scent Dog Network) they can help direct you to certified,credible and qualified dog and handler team

Prices range from FREE up to a few hundred dollars( some even only ask their travel expenses ,some do not) $3000 is absurd imo and my opinion is formed by having much experience with many organizations such as these-do your due diligence,there are many unprofessionals out there

 

[fionasmom]

$3000 is absurd

That is a very steep amount for this service. Was there any clause about a partial refund if your cat is not located? I hate to bring up money in this very stressful situation, but I would want a lot more information before I paid the 3K.

ETA: This is a very odd coincidence, but when I checked Nextdoor for my immediate area, someone has hired a bloodhound team to search for a missing cat. There will be a three hour window during which time the owner requested that all neighbors in the immediate area keep their dogs inside. However, a very knowledgeable couple who do a great deal of animal advocacy work posted that there is a scam going around about these search teams.

 

[Kwik]

That is a very steep amount for this service. Was there any clause about a partial refund if your cat is not located? I hate to bring up money in this very stressful situation, but I would want a lot more information before I paid the 3K.

ETA: This is a very odd coincidence, but when I checked Nextdoor for my immediate area, someone has hired a bloodhound team to search for a missing cat. There will be a three hour window during which time the owner requested that all neighbors in the immediate area keep their dogs inside. However, a very knowledgeable couple who do a great deal of animal advocacy work posted that there is a scam going around about these search teams.

That's right ,these type of scams have been going on forever,people with missing cats( pets) are extremely vulnerable and all too often fall prey to such con artists who take advantage of people who are desperate and distraught

I do suggest getting confirmation of credibility and certification (MASDN),there are quite a few other resources to check validity.....tbh most of the good teams volunteer locally and charge zero -requesting donations

Many sheriffs and police depts who have K9 units will offer help as well..... there's a big difference between sniffer dogs and tracking dogs,K9 level sniff- they are not " trackers" but can be very helpful

 

[DungeonMaster]

Even if you hired the very best local tracker dog in your area there's no guarantee of anything so that's awfully steep- I'm sure out in your parts where there are lots of woods you can find K9 search teams specifically trained to follow pet scent-,Dogs Finding Dogs are a non- profit org
410) 908-6374...there are non profit organizations that operate on donations

Before you think about hiring any tracking svc check with MASDN (Missing Animal Scent Dog Network) they can help direct you to certified,credible and qualified dog and handler team

Prices range from FREE up to a few hundred dollars( some even only ask their travel expenses ,some do not) $3000 is absurd imo and my opinion is formed by having much experience with many organizations such as these-do your due diligence,there are many unprofessionals out there

I've contacted Dogs Finding Dogs and they won't come here. They offered to help via email, but so far their advice hasn't been very good.

That's right ,these type of scams have been going on forever,people with missing cats( pets) are extremely vulnerable and all too often fall prey to such con artists who take advantage of people who are desperate and distraught

I do suggest getting confirmation of credibility and certification (MASDN),there are quite a few other resources to check validity.....tbh most of the good teams volunteer locally and charge zero -requesting donations

Many sheriffs and police depts who have K9 units will offer help as well..... there's a big difference between sniffer dogs and tracking dogs,K9 level sniff- they are not " trackers" but can be very helpful

These people are certified by MASDN, but there's a lot of travel involved because there are no local finders. The Feline Finders are too far away, but Bravo K911 can do it for an exorbitant price.

 

[Norachan]

D DungeonMaster How do your own dogs get along with the missing cat? If they aren't likely to chase her if they see her, I'd start by taking your own dogs out on a leash and see if they can find her.

Don't pay $3,000! That's a ridiculous price.

 

[Kwik]

I've contacted Dogs Finding Dogs and they won't come here. They offered to help via email, but so far their advice hasn't been very good.



These people are certified by MASDN, but there's a lot of travel involved because there are no local finders. The Feline Finders are too far away, but Bravo K911 can do it for an exorbitant price.

Have you asked your local police dept if they have any K9 handlers that do volunteer work? 2yrs ago a friend's cat slipped out somehow so we took a ride over to talk with a local sheriff dept K9 supevisor.... not 1 but 3 police officers volunteered to try to help!All 3 dogs picked up her scent all the way to the dock and stopped there- we thought" uh oh- gator? Fell in the canal?"

A lady who lived by the end of the dock asked " whst are you all looking for?"She had the cat in her house for 2weeks! Funny,the lady picked the cat up and carried her to the house so the scent ended right where the dogs brought us all