Cat signals
Hi, I’m Susan. If you received a flyer like the one included in this post, you’ve probably seen my posters about my missing cat, Linus, around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, he is still missing.
At the recommendation of a licensed animal recovery specialist, friends and I will be searching yards within a seven-house radius of mine. If your home falls within this range, I’ve placed a flyer on or near your front door. If you are willing to let us on your property for 5-10 minutes, I would be extremely grateful!
By search, perhaps I should have said “look for signs of Linus and cat-friendly places a lost cat might eat, sleep, or hide.” But that wouldn’t fit on the flyer.
What we’re looking for
Places where cats might hide (vegetation, outbuildings and structures, under foundations, decks and the like.)
Food/water sources such as pet food left out, bird feeders, and bird baths that a cat might help themselves to opportunistically. Do you/do you know anyone who leaves food/water out for animals?
Resident pets, if any, or anything you’ve noticed about the pets or animals in your area, cats or dogs you haven’t seen before coming around, etc.
What we’ll do
When we arrive, we will knock on your door. If you’re not planning to be home, especially if you prefer we don’t enter your property, please indicate this on the flyer we left on your door.
If you’ve given us the okay, we’ll survey your property and take photos that we will use only to determine if it seems to be a place a cat has been or is likely to hide. We will share any photos taken on request. We will leave a notice when we are finished.
It is unlikely we will see Linus during our search pass. That’s okay! Our goal is to get a cat’s-eye view of the neighborhood and identify potential areas for follow-up or further monitoring. We will ask for permission again to enter your property for any other purpose.
Why are we doing this now?
Several reasons. To start, to get additional eyes on areas I’ve already searched repeatedly and where I may not be as observant anymore.
Two, to get a more thorough view of the neighborhood using a systematic approach. Deploying a team is a resource investment to me, my friend community, and you all, and I waited to deploy it until more lightweight options ran out. As a benchmark, it has taken me about 8 hours to prepare and distribute flyers, assemble a team, and organize this search, all before the on-the-ground search starts.
Third, timing. Cats tend to hide and not eat, meow, or move when they are scared, even if they recognize a friendly person. It’s possible that if we’d done this search earlier, we’d not have found any signs. It can take timid cats such as Linus weeks to break cover to find food or try to connect with a familiar or friendly-seeming human.
Do you really think you’ll find your cat in my yard?
As much as I would LOVE to come around the corner into your backyard and discover my cat basking on your deck or enjoying a turn on your hammock or trampoline, I don’t think this will be the case. Linus is a shy, timid cat who has been displaced from his familiar surroundings. If he’s around, he’s keeping out of sight as much as possible and coming out at night to eat and drink. We’re looking for clues and getting the word out and hoping this will bring us one step closer to reuniting with him.