How to Become a Cat Detective

 

When your cat goes missing, you can feel like you're the only one in the world who can't find him. That's why some people turn to cat detective, experts who specialize in helping owners locate their lost felines. These detectives use their keen sense of smell, familiarity with a cat's habitat and behavior, and special equipment to help find a pet that may be hiding in a difficult to reach place or in plain sight. Some detectives even offer training courses for those who want to become a professional cat sleuth, and the Missing Animal Response Network has an easy-to-use directory of MAR-trained professionals.

The first step to finding a missing cat is always the same: Search your house, yard and neighborhood. Start by looking inside closets and cabinets, under beds, in the crawl space, and in any other hiding spot a frightened or injured cat might take shelter. You should also ask neighbors for tips and try to get as many eyes on the search as possible. Enlist gentle neighborhood kids to help you, but make sure they are aware that trying to grab a pet or scare it away can cause the cat to flee and hide further.

While walking around your 猫探偵 neighborhood, call your cat's name and shake a treat bag or food box. This can trigger a memory of a reward and encourage a scared or wounded animal to come out of hiding. You should also ask your neighbor's permission to search their property if you can't find your pet.

Another important factor is to check your local shelters and veterinary hospitals, especially if the cat has a collar with microchip information and you have an up-to-date photo of him or her. Some cats who aren't claimed by their owners end up in animal shelters, and if they don't have identification tags or collars, they may be euthanized because no one can tell they belong to someone.

Some cats disappear for months before being found, and if the owner assumes they were killed by coyotes or other predators, they stop searching and the animal may never find its way back home. Some of these cats are rescued by pet detectives and returned to their families.

In the case of Tiger, Katz took a call from an elderly woman who reported her cats had disappeared. The caretaker who was supposed to be watching them said she'd seen clumps of their fur in the woods behind her house, but Katz wasn't convinced. The cats were eventually reunited with their owner after more than 16 months, but the case demonstrates that pet detectives must be able to sniff out baloney when they hear it.