Here are some steps you can take to find your lost cat.
Report your lost cat on Petco's Love Lost site. It's free and easy to use. Petco uses photo-matching technology to reunite lost pets with their family. Please be sure to include an image in your lost cat report for best results.
You can also view a map of all lost and found cats in our area.
Many people have been reunited with their posts through social media posts. We recommend posting to local groups on Facebook. In Anacortes, we recommend You Know You're From Anacortes When.... This is a private group, so you'll need to join if you're not already a member.
You can also post on NextDoor, Neighbors, Craigslist, Instagram, Ring and other social outlets.
The most important thing you can do to find your cat is conduct an aggressive search. The good news is that your cat is probably closer than you think. Most lost cats will be found within a 5-house radius of their home. Ask your neighbors for permission to search their yards, garages or outbuildings. Don't ask your neighbors to search for you - your cat may not recognize or respond to them and they will not be motivated to conduct a thorough search.
Think like a cat. Your cat will be looking for hiding places that are near to the ground - under a deck, dense shrubbery or a hole in a building foundation. Try searching for your cat either late at night or very early in the morning when it is most quiet.
Don't give up! Many people don't look for their cat because they assume the cat was taken by a predator. Unless you find evidence to indicate this, you should keep looking. Some cats will hide for 7-10 days before their hunger and thirst drives them out of their hiding place.
Setting a humane trap can be especially helpful for indoor-only kitties who have escaped outdoors. Sometimes these cats are too frightened and disoriented to respond to you even if they hear you. After a few days, they may come out of their hiding spot and start to explore. In this case, they'll often return to the house, so having a trap ready to catch them is a good idea. If you live in Anacortes, you're welcome to borrow traps from the Cat's Meow. We also have motion-activated cameras that are very helpful and you're welcome to borrow them. Cats in the Bag has great information on humane trapping techniques.
Post flyers at intersections in your neighborhood and go door to door with flyers. Use this quick and easy online flyer maker to create a printable flyer. If you don't have a photo of your cat, search online for a similar one. If your cat was adopted from the Cat's Meow, we probably have a photo you can use. Since the weather can be unpredictable, we recommend sealing all flyers in plastic sheet protectors with the opening taped closed.