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Cat Ownership Resources

When You’ve Lost a Cat

Young couple putting up missing pet banners.

Take action immediately. Do not wait to see if your cat will come home.

  1. If you see your cat escape, immediately, quietly follow the cat outdoors. Take a phone with you as you might need assistance.
  2. Speak softly to the cat, approach slowly, quietly and do not run or chase the cat. The cat might hesitate and allow you to pick it up.
  3. If not, continue to follow the steps below. Cats usually find a place to hide in the near vicinity.
  4. Place food, water and a cat bed by the door or window from which the cat escaped. The bedding should have the cat’s scent on it. Place additional food and water in other locations where the cat can find it.
  5. If possible, leave the window or door open from which the cat left. Cats often try to return and go back in the entry they escaped from.
  6. The cat is likely within hearing or seeing distance. Search your yard – under decks, behind bushes and the yards of your neighbours. Search calmly, talk quietly and listen for any responding meows. Repeat the process several times during the day(s).
  7. Sit in the yard off and on for periods of time and talk quietly to the cat. It may be very close listening to you.
  8. Go door to door and talk to your immediate neighbours.
  9. Put up Lost/Missing Cat posters in your neighbourhood. Include a photo and offer a reward. You’ll find a link below to a poster template you can use.
  10. Deliver notices to your immediate neighbours.
  11. If your cat is tattooed, notify the veterinary clinic where the cat was tattooed and make sure your owner information on file is up-to-date.
  12. If your cat is microchipped, notify the veterinary clinic that implanted the microchip and the microchip company. Verify your contact information is up to date.
  13. All MEOW cats are microchipped with PETIDCO (formerly AVID Canada) Microchips. To notify PETIDCO, call 1-800-338-1397. They will notify clinics in the city. If you are still within the first 30 days of the adoption process contact our Adoption Department: 403-454-0919.
  14. Contact the MEOW Foundation Rescue and Intake department with a description of your cat, whether he or she has ID like a tattoo or microchip, and your contact information. We will file a lost report in case your cat turns up at our Adoption Centre.
  15. If you spot your cat but are unable to catch it, MEOW rents humane traps. Please contact our Rescue and Intake department for more information.

You can download a printable PDF of these recommendations.

Here is a Word document you can use to create a Lost Cat poster.

Depositphotos_416228326-lost-cat

Other Agencies to Contact

  1. MEOW Foundation – Email a poster to our Rescue and Intake department.
  2. Calgary Humane Society – in person at 4455 110th AVE SE or view the Lost and Found page of their website: at calgaryhumane.ca/what-we-do/lost-and-found.
  3. City of Calgary – Call 311 to submit a lost pet report.
  4. Place online notices for no charge on Kijiji.ca, Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun Classifieds.
  5. Post on the YYC Pet Recovery page on Facebook.
  6. Notify other smaller groups such as:
    1. Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) at 403-243-1910 or online at arf.ab.ca
    2. Pound Rescue Okotoks at 403-938-4890 or online at poundrescue.com.
    3. Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society at 403 804-4334 or visit aarcs.ca.
  7. Call the Emergency Veterinary Clinics:
    1. Western Veterinary at 403-770-1340.
    2. C.A.R.E. Centre at 403-520-8387.
    3. Paramount 24 Hour Animal Hospital at 403-300-9111

Do not give up! We hope you are reunited soon.