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Rescue Centres
and Cat Chat |
Report your cat as missing to all
the local rescue centres and cat charities. Please visit a
website called cat chat www.catchat.org.uk you will then need to
type in your post code and this will then list all the local
charities to obtain their telephone/email/website details. |
Animal Search |
This applies to all pets even whether they are chipped or NOT
microchipped.
Pet search is a company that will register your Pet missing or
if you have found a Pet this is then distributed to all vets and
rescue centres via email. Visit their website
www.animalsearchuk.co.uk |
Facebook |
You can also post lost and found
animals on Facebook. We have found two Facebook pages
Orpington Gossip and
Pettswood Gossip which have been very helpful and succeeded
in re-uniting Pets with their owners. There are also many lost
and found facebook pages here are the main ones: |
1. UK Cats lost and stolen and also
found
2. Kent lost found cats south East UK
3. Pets lost and found Pettswood Orpington and surrounding areas
4. Lost stolen found Dogs and Cats in all areas SE London/Kent
5. Cats lost found and missing Croydon Bromley and surrounding
areas
6. Lost and found Dogs and Cats UK |
Vets |
Report your cat as missing to all
the vets within a 10 mile radius, as if your cat is inquisitive
it may have ventured into a stationary vehicle, or if your cat
is friendly, it could have followed someone home and they might
now be feeding it and have reported it to their vet as found,
which may not necessarily be the nearest veterinary practice to
where you live.
Give as many details as possible for example, say if your cat is
micro-chipped, if wearing a collar when last seen at home, state
the breed or type of cat giving colouring and any particular
markings, age, sex, neutered, state whether any distinguishing
features, such as scars, missing teeth, any irregularities to
ears, tail, legs etc. Any medical condition, i.e. diabetic, or
if your cat is on medication. |
Micro-chipping |
If your cat is micro-chipped Inform
the micro-chip company or rescue centre (some rescue centres
keep the cat registered to them). Make sure your details are up
to date with the micro-chip i.e. address and two telephone
numbers, a mobile number is always a good source of contact. All
cats that are handed over to a vet or rescue centre should
automatically be scanned. |
Trapped
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When a pet has gone missing there
is a chance that it may have become locked in a shed, garage or
outbuilding. If at all possible, with your neighbours’
permission, search their gardens, etc, yourself; as if your cat
is frightened, hiding and trapped somewhere, it is more likely
to come forward to a familiar voice than to a complete stranger.
Ask them whether they have noticed any signs of disturbance in
the shed, such as items misplaced or knocked down, as this could
indicate that a cat is locked inside. Maybe they would then be
kind enough to leave open the shed door, to allow your pet to
escape, at the same time checking to ensure that no other
animals wander in. |
Sad News |
Unfortunately many cats are
involved in Road Traffic accidents. It is sad to face up to this
but it is important to thoroughly search an area close to your
home including your garden, neighbours’ gardens and any communal
areas in your street. If they have died then their location may
not be obvious straight away. They could have taken shelter
under bushes, behind a shed or other building etc. A quick
glance out of the kitchen window by your neighbour is not
enough. If your pet has sadly been killed in a road accident
then it will probably be picked up by the council in your area -
it is always worth giving them a ring. Here is the number for LB
Bromley 0300 303 8658. |
Inform everyone |
We recommend you tell the following
people: Postman, milkman, paperboy/girl, window cleaner. |
Trapping |
If your cat has been spotted but
has become very nervous or does not appear when you are around,
you can borrow a humane trap from us. The idea is to put a small
amount of food at the back end of the trap to entice the cat in.
Once it is in far enough, the door will close behind it. This
procedure does not harm the cat at all (full instructions
available on collection). It is important to note however that
the trap must never be left unattended as other cats or wildlife
could be caught and become distressed if left for too long. We
require a deposit which is returnable when the trap is brought
back in good working order. Tel number for trap 07799264510. |
The two-week wait |
Every year, cats become trapped in
neighbours’ houses or garages on the day they go on holiday for
two weeks. It is amazing how many owners report to us that their
cat returned after exactly two weeks and one explanation is that
they were in someone's house or garage. |
Going on
holiday |
If you are going to leave your cat
at home to be fed by friends or neighbours while you are on
holiday, it is far safer to shut it in at all times, locking the
cat flap. If not, the feeder may not be aware that another cat
is entering through the cat flap and eating all the food. The
poor resident cat then goes walkabouts in search of food and
company elsewhere. Now someone is feeding a presumably lost cat.
If we are contacted with this lost cat, we will scan it for
micro-chip details. If there are none, we will fit a quick
release safety collar saying “if this cat is owned, please call
this number …”. If there is no response after 2 weeks and the
vets have not had the cat reported as missing and no posters
have been seen, then we assume it is a stray.
We cannot emphasise how important it is to have your cat
micro-chipped and that it wears a quick release safety collar
with ID tag. Both collars and ID tags can be purchased form us.
Please call 07799264510. |
Poster positions |
Put posters on lamp posts, at bus
stops, in local shop windows, and vets. Sometimes these posters
do get taken down by children or other unhelpful individuals but
it is always worth doing. Here is an
Example of a poster.
Print flyers and distribute them through letterboxes in your
road and the roads backing onto you. If after 2 weeks there is
no response, repeat this process as sometimes people need their
memories jogging. |
Searching
on foot |
If you search the local streets -do
this on foot, you will have a better chance of hearing your pet
if they are in distress. However if you decide to search at
night we recommend you take a friend and a mobile telephone.
Shake their biscuit tin or favourite toy, and don't be
embarrassed calling their name out loud then pausing to listen
for a reaction. It will make people aware that there is a
missing pet in their area. |
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If your cat
is found Lastly if you do find your cat please don’t
forget to inform the vets and local charities you contacted in
the beginning. This will help them to keep their lost and found
records up to date. They will be pleased to hear your good news
and it will make all their hard work seem worthwhile. Don’t
forget that the more you advertise, the more likely you are to
locate your cat, and never give up. Good luck! |
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