Apprehending Linus

Written By Susan Burgess

If you have seen, interacted with, or, on the off chance, have a cat you think is Linus in your custody, first of all THANK YOU for looking out for animals and taking the time to help reunite them with their people.

Finding a displaced pet can be exciting, emotional, and probably doesn’t happen to most of us frequently. Thus, I offer the guidelines below about how to interact with THIS particular animal, assuming (and hoping) that it is him. Anything you are able to do to get the word out is helpful and appreciated.

Question: I see/saw an unfamiliar cat that looks like Linus. What should I do?

Answer: Please note the geographic location (neighborhood and cross streets), contextual location (behind a garage, in a tree, under a bush, etc.), what he was doing (hiding, running, eating) and disposition (relaxed, scared, angry, dirty, etc.) as best you can. Then, contact me and Seattle Animal control and share this same information.
Please take a photo if at all possible. I will follow up on all plausible leads but sometimes I’m able to rule out a match via a photograph and this saves time and heartache.

Contact me

Contact Seattle Animal Shelter

Question: Can I approach him?

Answer: IF YOU CAN, YES! However, Linus is a gentle, affectionate cat, but he is very shy. He knows and responds to his name around the home, but I’m told that displaced cats don’t respond to their names, especially if they’re scared or injured. Talking in a soft voice from a safe distance away (8-10 feet) may help calm him. Leaving cat food or treats in a quiet, sheltered location (under a bush, a quiet corner of the yard) where he can see and smell them may help keep him in the immediate area until his person (or animal shelter) can respond.

If, however, approaches you and you are able to safely contain him in a kennel, garage, shed or other enclosure, please do!


Question: Can I feed him?

Answer: Yes! Feel free to leave out canned or dry cat food (or irresistible human food such as tuna fish or shredded cheese) where he can see and smell it. If you have a bag of cat treats, often shaking them or crinkling the plastic will tempt him. Linus doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, but even if he did, we’d throw them out the window at this point

Question: What if he runs away before I can do any of these things?

Answer: That’s ok! Please contact me anyway. If you’ve been reading this site, you’ll know that I’ve already had many “false positive” sightings. I will follow up on any reasonable lead. I truly believe that animal care and rescue is a symbiotic system and that what comes around goes around. It might not be my pet this time, but if I can help reunite someone else’s pet with their guardian, even by offering information or hope, I am happy to do so.

Question: I found an injured or deceased cat that could be Linus. What should I do?

Answer: I’m so sorry. Both of these situations are emotional and stressful. Please take care of yourself first. When it feels right, please contact Seattle Animal Shelter, as they are best equipped to advise and act in an emergency. And, if the animal turns out to be Linus, they will also be able to contact me (Linus is microchipped.)

Please know that most pet guardians want to know what happened to their missing companion, even if the outcome is sad, and they are grateful to those who help them find closure.

Question: What if the cat I found isn’t Linus?

Answer: Good question! If I come visit your cat and it’s not Linus, I’ll do my best to determine the status of the cat and whether any further intervention is needed using the process described [link TKTK].

Question: How did you learn all this information about missing cats?

Answer: I’m very grateful to the Ballard pet-loving community on Facebook, Nextdoor, and other virtual networks. In addition, the following resources have been invaluable:

Susan Burgess
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