What we tell people who come in to our shelter looking for their lost cat is the following:
~PUt up signs with pictures, at least a few blocks radius, maybe more... as many signs as you can. WITH pictures.
~Go in to the shelter, fill out a lost pet card. that way, it's on file there and if someone comes in with that description and lost area, you'll get called. I would think San Mateo Shelter would have something similar. We also have "Found Cats" and "DOA Cats" binders for those that go to local vets and such... heartbreaking binder, the second one is, but it gives closure at the least. I don't know if San Mateo has the same thing, but they should.
~Also walk around, like it sounds he's already done. Talk to neighbors, etc. With weather being cooler, I'd also put a shelter of some sort with blankets that smell familiar to Wedo. Food and water as well.
~Keep going back to the shelter. We tell folks here come in every three days. Three days is our hold time here. And just because it's been longer, doesn't mean he was picked up right away... he could get picked up a week after vanishing... and then the countdown begins... tell him to keep going... Once isn't enough.
Keep it up. Keep hope as well. One of our volunteers' cats got out of her place and was gone... big black cat. He'd never been outside like that and freaked. She waited and waited... eventually resigned herself to never seeing him again... about four months later, she was walking a path nearby to the grocery store... she heard a meow from the brush... guess who? He was skinnier and skittish, but he was alive. Now she has two cats... if he's used to being outside, he's probably just having a stroll... sure, it could be much worse... hence all my advice above.
Good luck... I hope Wedo comes home soon... and I hope your father realizes that maybe Wedo should stay inside all the time now... we can only hope, you know? Good luck... major vibes coming from Portland!!
Amanda
~PUt up signs with pictures, at least a few blocks radius, maybe more... as many signs as you can. WITH pictures.
~Go in to the shelter, fill out a lost pet card. that way, it's on file there and if someone comes in with that description and lost area, you'll get called. I would think San Mateo Shelter would have something similar. We also have "Found Cats" and "DOA Cats" binders for those that go to local vets and such... heartbreaking binder, the second one is, but it gives closure at the least. I don't know if San Mateo has the same thing, but they should.
~Also walk around, like it sounds he's already done. Talk to neighbors, etc. With weather being cooler, I'd also put a shelter of some sort with blankets that smell familiar to Wedo. Food and water as well.
~Keep going back to the shelter. We tell folks here come in every three days. Three days is our hold time here. And just because it's been longer, doesn't mean he was picked up right away... he could get picked up a week after vanishing... and then the countdown begins... tell him to keep going... Once isn't enough.
Keep it up. Keep hope as well. One of our volunteers' cats got out of her place and was gone... big black cat. He'd never been outside like that and freaked. She waited and waited... eventually resigned herself to never seeing him again... about four months later, she was walking a path nearby to the grocery store... she heard a meow from the brush... guess who? He was skinnier and skittish, but he was alive. Now she has two cats... if he's used to being outside, he's probably just having a stroll... sure, it could be much worse... hence all my advice above.
Good luck... I hope Wedo comes home soon... and I hope your father realizes that maybe Wedo should stay inside all the time now... we can only hope, you know? Good luck... major vibes coming from Portland!!
Amanda
