Pepper is missing - He's home!

My strictly indoors cat, Pepper, got outside last night. He has never been allowed outside since I have had him and I have had him since he was 8 weeks old, but last night, he snuck out and now I can't find him. I put some tuna on my porch but I live in a second story apartment and I don't know if he can find it if he does smell it, but I wanted him to come closer to me if he can't find his way home. I notified my neighbor in the house beside my apartment that he was missing and that that was the way that he normally runs if he sneaks out (he doesn't do it very often and he has NEVER been lost before). I have my friends keeping an eye out for him but I really doubt that any of them will find him- I think he is still close but either scared and hiding or someone already grabbed him. He is microchipped but doesn't wear a collar normally. Please send some vibes this way that I find him!!

pepper comes back soon

I know it's REALLY hard when the dissapear, I'm sure he's just hiding around a corner or in a bush close by .

You could always try printing up a few missing fliers and give them to all of your neighbors within a 2-3 block radius. It might help, and it would probably feel good to know you're at least trying something.

You must be freaked out.

Pepper is probably terrified and might be hiding under a building or bush near your apartment.
Because your apartment is on the 2nd floor, that is an added complication.
At a minimum, leave a flier near every front door in your building and all buildings on your block. It is also critical that fliers are put everywhere near your apartment building.
I would notify the managers about what you are doing to get their support.
Flier saturation is the key here.

Notify the vet who is linked to Pepper's micro-chip info.

When my daughter's dog went missing, we stapled fliers with a photo, description, chipped and reward offered, on telephone polls and everywhere we could staple one on for a 3 mile radius.

Attach Pepper's fliers to market bulletin boards, coffee houses, in vet offices, notify the humane societies and public shelter ( call them daily) at the very least for a couple of weeks, maybe longer if necessary.

Don't give up...
Sending find Pepper vibes.

A reminder...
when this is resolved, be sure to remove all of the fliers.
That is another day of work but must be done.

Originally Posted by xocats

When my daughter's dog went missing, we stapled fliers with a photo, description, chipped and reward offered, on telephone polls and everywhere we could staple one on for a 3 mile radius.

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I don't know about the laws where the OP lives, but this is not legal to do here. We're allowed to put them up on private property only, not public - that's littering. They'll catch and fine you pretty quickly here. If you want to distribute flyers (hand out) on public property, I think most cities require licenses/permits to do such.

If you have Facebook you may try putting your cat's picture and info up. You never know.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I don't know about the laws where the OP lives, but this is not legal to do here. We're allowed to put them up on private property only, not public - that's littering. They'll catch and fine you pretty quickly here.

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Good point...
if, in your area attaching fliers on public property is illegal, than do the other things....
Pepper

Hi,

indoor ony cats can get quite terrified when outside and are very often found within 300 m of their home under a car, in a bush, in a back yard, behind the dustbins and so on.

Go looking for hin late at night and early in the mornings when your street is quiet and take a torch with you to see if you can see his eyes reflecting in its shine.

Stop every few minutes to hear if he is responding to you and go down on your knees to take a look under cars. Take his food with you and make your usuall noises with ist, i.e. rattle the dry food tin or treats tin if this is what he knows. If he's really terrified he may not respond to your calling, so really make sure you take a good look anywhere a cat could be hiding itself.

Ask people who regularly walk your street for help- in my area this would be the post man, dustbin man and dog walkers- dog walkers can be particularly helpfull because their dog will often point out a cat to them. Also talk to people in your area who have indoor/ outdoor cats or to animal protection groups who might be feeding strays- very often a runaway will turn up at another cat lovers home or at a feeding place.

Set up you own feeding place somewhere close by but out of direct site and leave food out every day. If you think your cat is using this feeding place go and get a cat trap from a humane society.

Also notify all the vets in the area and ask if you can put up your flyer somewhere in the waiting room where it will be seen as you don't know which vet your cat could be brought to if he is found. Anywhere where you can buy pet food is also a good place to hang up a flyer- pet owners are more likely to watch out for stray cats.


Good luck,

Christine

Originally Posted by xocats

Good point...
if, in your area attaching fliers on public property is illegal, than do the other things....

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Yep. If a town really wants to make a stink over it they could charge per individual flyer + all of the court costs. Sounds like a legal nightmare and very very expensive.

Be safe handing out/posting information - don't give enough that people could literally track you down, carry some pepper spray if you're going to be going up to strangers doors - and/or make sure someone is with you or knows where you are. If anyone you don't know contacts you about Pepper, take someone with you.
We want your kitty to come home, but he needs someone to come home to!

Sending many vibes for Pepper's safe, swift return home.

Sending out find pepper vibes really quick.

If posting fliers is illegal in your area, it wouldn't hurt to go around door-to-door in your immediate area. You can take a picture of Pepper with you, and knock on peoples doors, show them the picture, and leave your telephone number with them. This is what I did when Monster got out. BF's cousin went around to every house, showed them his pic, gave them all my number.. That, and we made fliers and posted them up around the neighborhood, as well as calling the Humane Society.

Going door-to-door worked for us.. I got Monster back that night, when a woman who lives 3 houses away called me. Monster was under her neighbors car. Keep going around, be persistant! I'm sure he is hiding somewhere right now, probably terrified as you said he's never been allowed out.. I'm sure you will find him soon.

((((VIBES)))) for Peppers safe return!

Nothing more nerve wracking than loosing a beloved pet. make sure you ask everyone and really look everywhere a cat can get. Okay so thats basically everywhere but you know what I mean.

I had a strictly indoor kitty get out and she was gone for three days before I found her walking around meowing in my driveway.

Please see this site: www.catsinthebag.org

Lots of very good info there - be sure to read through it all, especially the personality profiles section so that you can use specific methods and strategies to locate Pepper.

As others have said, chances are very good that Pepper's nearby, but just too afraid to come out, even if you are outside calling him. Using the advice from the catsinthebag website ASAP will increase the chances that you'll get Pepper back sooner rather than later.

Thanks for suggestions everyone. I have posted flyers at the vet's offices (including mine), all of the main pet stores around here, the humane societies, I have an ad on Craigslist, and I am getting ready to post an ad in the newspaper. I searched for him last night and today along with 2 of my friends. I posted a flyer at the doggy daycare that i take Ollie to and she is telling everyone that comes through the door about him being missing (she is also one of my friends that searched for him today). I have some flyers posted at the hospital I work at. Oh, and I posted a flyer at the airport since I live really close to it and apparently there is a feral colony that someone feeds there. I walked Ollie around the neighborhood thinking that Pepper might see/smell him and come back (they play and sleep together). I have moved the stinky tuna to in front of the downstairs apartment because no one lives there right now. Management will be no help to me with this because they don't know about him. There is a declaw policy here and I will not get my cats declawed, but I posted flyers around my complex. Maintenance knows that I have cats and couldn't care less so if I see one of them I will have them keep an eye out for him. I am going to try and catch the mailman and ask him to look for him too. Thanks for the vibes everyone!

ETA: I forgot to put that I have had the word out on FB since a few minutes after it happened yesterday.

Come home Pepper! Meowmy needs and misses you!!! for his safe return!

This is just heartbreaking.
Adding my vibes for a safe return.
Pepper

Come home Pepper

Come home, Pepper. You've had your little jaunt, now it's time to crawl back onto a nice warm lap!

Sending tons of that you find Pepper very soon.