16
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Paw
Prints
Jodi Schneider McNamee
Columnist
When your indoor
cat becomes lost
It’s spring and you’re
opening windows to let in
the warm, fresh, fragrant air.
And your indoor kitty can’t
help feel the warmth of the
sun and smell the wonderful
outdoors sitting near the win-
dow; she seems to develop
“spring fever” and longs to be
outside.
One day your neighbor
inadvertently leaves your
screen door slightly ajar, and
kitty uses that moment to
escape. She thought it would
be nice to be outside and to lie
in the warm grass and watch
the birds and wildlife scurry
around.
But once outside it can be
a really scary and dangerous
world for her.
Any lost cat requires
immediate attention, and if
you did not actually see Kitty
slip outside, be sure to thor-
oughly search your home.
Cats have been known to
hide in the most unexpected
places.
Once you are sure she is
outside somewhere, act fast
and don’t give up. It’s how
quickly and carefully you
search, and how persistent
and resourceful you are that
can determine whether or not
Kitty will be found.
Never assume your cat will
simply come back. Once an
indoor cat has gotten out, it is
in an entirely foreign environ-
ment and easily disoriented.
When an animal is
extremely frightened, its
instinct is to hide and not
make a sound. Even if your
kitty is nearby, indoor cats
usually don’t meow back
when their pet parents go out
calling for them. Your lost
kitty is not choosing to avoid
you, it is an instinctive self-
defense mechanism.
Unlike dogs, cats — espe-
cially indoor cats — are usu-
ally not big travelers and are
often found within a five-
block radius of their home.
It’s time to play pet detec-
tive. Your cat’s personality
may help you find her.
According to pet detec-
tive and author Kat Albrecht,
founder of Missing Pet
Partnership in Clovis,
California, all cats fall into
one of four types of cat
personalities.
The Curious or Clown Cat
with a very friendly and out-
going personality will run to
the door to greet a stranger, is
generally less afraid and may
get into trouble when out on
her own. She will hide at first
and then most likely begin to
travel. This is the cat that can
get out of a five-block radius
of home quite quickly.
The Care-less Cat is aloof
and doesn’t care much for
people. When a stranger is
present, she tends to stand
back and watch. When she is
displaced, this cat is likely to
hide but eventually will break
cover, attempt to go back
home, and meow to be let in.
The Cautious Cat likes
people but is shy and will
dart away to hide if a stranger
comes to the door. Sometimes
she’ll even peek around the
corner and slowly come out to
investigate. When she is out
of her normal environment
she will immediately hide in
fear.
The Catatonic or Fearful
Cat has a fear of anything
strange or foreign. This fear-
ful cat will hide when a
stranger comes into her home
and will not come out until
well after the company has
left. When this cat becomes
lost outside she will bolt and
hide in silence, remaining in
the same hiding place, immo-
bilized by fear. If someone
other than her pet parent finds
her, she could be mistaken
as being a feral, spitting and
hissing out of fright.
When you’re certain your
cat is missing and have thor-
oughly searched around your
home it’s time to request help
from your neighbors. They
may have seen or even taken
in your cat. Ask permission
to search on their property
and ask everyone you meet if
they’ve seen your cat.
Call all the animal shelters
and veterinarian hospitals in
your area and provide them
with a good description of
your missing cat.
Post flyers and offer a
reward, and include photos
with specific cross streets
where she was last seen.
Place an ad in your local
newspaper and other local
sources. Call The Nugget with
lost-and-found pet informa-
tion. They will put the infor-
mation in the “Pet Place”
print version and online ver-
sion of the newspaper. They
can also place the info and
photo on The Nugget’s and
Furry Friends Foundation’s
Facebook pages.
The best time to look for
your lost cat is when it’s dark.
She is most likely to come
out of hiding between 9 p.m.
and 5 a.m. She will feel less
threatened at night. Use a
bright flashlight and use broad
sweeps to look for your cats
reflective eyes, under cars,
across yards, in driveways, by
bushes, etc.
Try putting your cat’s
favorite bed/blanket (some-
thing that is covered with
her scent) outside near her
home area. Even her litter box
would be beneficial, and the
familiar scent can help your
kitty find her way back home.
Dr. Nicholas Dodman,
animal behavior clinic direc-
tor at Tufts University, points
out that there may be a new
aspect to outdoors that’s
attracted your kitty’s atten-
tion. It may be birds that have
built a nest close by or maybe
your feline sees a new cat in
the neighborhood right out-
side the window.
Whatever awoke your
cat’s interest, there are some
things to do to make her envi-
ronment inside more appeal-
ing again.
Adding another cat to the
family may be a solution if
she is by herself. One cat
alone can get bored more eas-
ily than two cats keeping each
other company.
Try adding some new
places your kitty can climb,
such as a cat tree or a cat
condo. Accentuate her out-
door view by having a win-
dow perch on every sill.
Toys, especially food puzzles,
can work well to keep her
occupied.
Teaching your cat to walk
on a leash is a great idea. This
way she can go outdoors,
chaperoned by you.
SPAY & NEUTER
Sponsorships Available
Immunization Assistance
Also Available at Bend Spay & Neuter’s
Saturday Wellness Clinics
Contact Kiki at 541-549-9941
Tax-deductible donations
accepted year-round.
FURRY FRIEND S
FOUNDATION
www.FurryFriendsFoundation.org
501 ( c )( 3 )
Furry Friends Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization