PLEASE HELP - how to get a pet back?

My friend's female ferret is missing from the apartment (the second ferret - the male is safe and sound...)

She lives in an apartment on the top floor of an old building in the middle of Copenhagen, Denamrk - it's quiet cold and windy here now...

How can we try to get it back? could it be hiding someplace? could it be outside?

What are the standard and not so standard procedure and any of your own ideas in this situation?

Please help... thank you...

Inspect the walls! Look for any sort of hole. I hope you don't find one, because if you do that will mean the ferret probably found it first. Ferrets like to hide under and in things. Carefully turn over furniture and check inside it, preferably before anyone sits on that furniture and could harm a hiding ferret. Check inside cabinets, under the stove, inside beds, bags, clothes hampers, inside dressers, etc - check everything, even if it seems unlikely.
(I had a gecko escape years ago, searched everywhere but behind the pictures on the wall... guess where that gecko was hiding? )

Do the ferrets have any sort of preferred treat that comes in a distinct container? If so, going through the rooms and making noise with that container (to suggest the ferret is going to get a treat) may lure her out of hiding. Make sure to leave food and water out, if the food disappears you'll know the ferret is still around. You may even have to use a small live trap if other methods don't work.

Were the male not in the cage, I'd suggest leaving it open and waiting till she returns.

I'm not too sure other conditions are like, besides your friend's living in a top-floor of apartment in Copenhagen, Denmark - should be quite cold(or getting) there now, correct? Did she - leave door or window open? Is there any place/gaps etc in her apartment where cat could somehow sneak out/in, hide or escape? If there's no "secret path" to outside, the possibility is that her kitty may be hiding somewhere inside of apartment where secluded & warm.

This happened to me when I first moved into my current apartment:
I was in the room with absolutely no door or windows open at all, and noticed Ku Ku disappeared! I was really freaking out as I had no idea where she went.
There may be some tiny gap or something I didn't know that she may be able to squeez herself in & escaped? I called her name, looked around everywhere but I couldn't find her. Then my landlady showed up, she helped me looking around in the apartment.

Guess where I found Ku Ku? She was, hiding by a corner in a small space under a living room floor! My apartment is detached "cottage type" studio. Living room floor is raised approx. 1/2 feet from kitchen where a couple of staircase connects these rooms. There's this open space below living room floor where I didn't even really know it existed until then(thought it was tiny space, NOT a size of an entire living room floor). Ku Ku was sphynxing at the far end corner of this space, listening to her meowmy going frantic...

I felt really relieved to see her inside of the apartment...seriously thought that she escaped, y'know? Needless to mention that after this incident, I attached a board & sealed the space so she can not get in there...

Hope your friend will find her kitty

Originally Posted by KKH

Is there any place/gaps etc in her apartment where cat could somehow sneak out/in, hide or escape? If there's no "secret path" to outside, the possibility is that her kitty may be hiding somewhere inside of apartment where secluded & warm.

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It's a ferret, unless the OP really messed up in their post, so some different rules apply. They can get into a lot smaller areas, and will probably be driven to do so, than any cat can. A cat may go for a door, window, or up high right away. A ferret will want somewhere dark it can slip into.


Again, I repeat, check inside of furniture ASAP.

thank you so much

keep the info and suggestions comming

as far as I know she checked EVERYTHING

and yes it's a ferret

will keep you posted, let's pray

Check everything again? Wild ferrets and other members of the weasel family survive by being secretive and able to slip into some pretty tight spots in search of prey.

I hope she finds her.

Live trap with some really nasty smelly food?

I really hope she finds it! Ferrets aren't like cats, they can't "get by" on their own. I have one now that was found as a stray, she was emaciated and dehydrated. I'm rehabbing her now (she's expected to make a full recovery).

Originally Posted by strange_wings

It's a ferret, unless the OP really messed up in their post, so some different rules apply. They can get into a lot smaller areas, and will probably be driven to do so, than any cat can. A cat may go for a door, window, or up high right away. A ferret will want somewhere dark it can slip into.


Again, I repeat, check inside of furniture ASAP.

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Aw shoot...that's right - ferret not feral...hold on, gotta get my glass

True, ferret can sneak into anything/anywhere tiny than cat.
I agree - furniture, a gap between furniture, small space between walls, behind closet...definitely more thorough search is necessary.