How to Attract Your Cat if You Can't Find It

When your cat disappears, it can be a frightening experience. Cats who get disoriented with their surroundings -- especially indoor cats who get outside -- can quickly become scared and seek out a place to hide. That place is usually close by, so if you start searching as soon as you notice your cat is missing, you'll have better luck attracting her back home.

  1. Use Food

    • Food is a powerful lure, so shake a bag of dry food or open your cat̵7;s favorite, most aromatic can of cat food and call her name. If you think your cat is still in the house, place small bowls of food at different locations in the house to coax her out of hiding. Make sure there are no doors or locking cupboards that are closed where she could be trapped. Listen for whining or crying when the house is quiet in case she's stuck someplace. If you believe your cat is outside, leave food near the door, and leave the door open as much as possible.

    Use Smells

    • If you believe your cat is lost outside, put her litter box, favorite toys and bedding around your yard as a way to attract her back to her own scent. A cat who loses her way will rely on smell to help her find her way home. Don̵7;t clean the litter box beforehand -- it will be helpful if your kitty smells her own ̶0;territory,̶1; or even the mixed scent of other cats in the household.

    Search Morning and Evening

    • Your kitty is more likely to venture out of her hiding place under the cover of night, so walk through your neighborhood at dawn and dusk calling your cat̵7;s name. Alert your neighbors to be on the lookout for your kitty, and post missing cat signs in the area. Inside cats who get outside are often overwhelmed and hide very close to their own home, yet don't return because they're too frightened to move. If you do spot your cat, use a gentle voice to coax her to you. Even though she recognizes you, she may still be skittish.

    Live Trap

    • Set up a live trap in your yard, or borrow one from your local humane society. Place the trap in your yard and bait it with a can of cat food. Use caution if you catch something other than your cat, like a wild animal, and call animal control for handling. Also remember to check lost and found ads in the paper and online and visit your local shelters to see if your cat was picked up and turned in.