Before your cat goes missing, bond with it. The notion that cats are independent, stand-offish, or decidedly unfriendly is you, the owner, allowing that cat to live with you with that behaviour. You pay the rent and you buy the food that means the cat must live up to certain expectations you might have.
Here are my cat rules:
No living under or behind furniture
No flipping out if I pick you up
No hissing or scratching unless it's warranted and for defense purposes. Anything which I need from you, the cat, is not be construed as 'for defense' purposes.
No rolling your eyes and sauntering off when company comes calling. If I'm friendly you have to be friendly
You don't like the food? Get over it. You will like it in a week.
Here is what my cat gets in return:
Medical visits and all necessary shots
Grooming
Free food and shelter
Endless love
The best life a cat could ever wish for. You were adopted and in some cases were chosen despite having a 'rap sheet'. It's time to get serious; start polishing your whiskers
Cats are like dogs; you can train them. I have trained my cats with unconventional methods but methods which do no harm to the animal. I have lived with remarkable cats that friends and neighbours remember fondly.
When I encounter a cat that hides or freaks out when I try to pick it up, I place it in the middle of my bed and lay my body over the cat with only its head exposed and we stay like this until you know who stops squirming. (I am not doing this with kittens but rather full grown cats with former owner abuse issues). At the same time I pet its head, rub my nose against the cat's nose and talk calmly and soothingly. In the same way a dog needs to know who is boss a cat needs to know the same thing but mostly it needs to know it is safe. Pinning it down with your body does not hurt the cat, but it is also not something they expect and their claws and teeth become useless as a defense. You will only need to do this about three times; cats are quick on the uptake. Any time you decide to pick your cat up, pick the cat up. You pay the rent. You and the cat are roommates. He can leave if he doesn't like it. Eventually the cat will tolerate being handled, cease fighting you, and understand instinctively that anything you are doing to their furry self is for a reason which will not cause pain.
When you want to encourage a specific behaviour or shush a 'no' to the cat you grab it by the scruff of the neck, the same place its mother grabbed with her mouth, and you say 'NO' and then release the cat. If your cat has toilet issues or pica see a vet. You will only be doing this about three times too. This training is not ongoing. This is what you do to nip things in the bud. Never, ever, ever hit your cat. Like elephants, cats don't forget. They will plot your demise if you abuse them. The scruff of the neck is the only place that doesn't hurt them but it is the place of authority that they know.
The Cat's Meow
Cat's meow only to communicate with humans; you. They don't meow at other cats. They may hiss or growl and they might make a back of the throat 'cack-cack-cack' sound when hunting. Your cat meows like no other cat on the planet. Learn what it sounds like. Learn how to pick it out of a crowd of meowing cats. Learn what your cat sounds like when it's happy and when it's distressed. When its hungry or frustrated.; bored or feeling affectionate. The duration of the meow is an indicator too. If the sound is coming from the bowels, long and low, your cat is distressed physically and needs immediate attention. If you are petting your cat and with its eyes closed the cat gives a crack of a meow, kind of like he's saying 'meh', he's happy. Your cat knows your voice. He can pick you out at a cocktail party of 300 chattering humans. Your cat will develop a repertoire of sound that he has designed specifically for you.
Pictures
Take a picture of your cat. You may think your cat looks like every other cat but he doesn't. The stripes, spots, the whiskers, the tail, all these things are unique to your cat and no other cat looks like yours. If your cat goes missing having a picture is way better than having to utter: He's gray.
People naturally think cats are destined to be lost which is why putting a poster up on a street pole is useless. Cats natural roaming perimeter is about two square blocks. When your cat goes missing you have to involve everyone in the area where your cat roams. You are the spokesperson for your cat. No one gives a crap about your cat but they will care about you talking about your cat and engaging them with how important the cat's retrieval is to you. It is natural for people to imagine that cat's naturally disappear and dogs get returned. It doesn't have to be this way.
Feeding
If your cat is an outdoor cat you must feed it at specific times. No cat should be left food to eat all day long but timed feeding is crucial for an outdoor cat. The cat needs to know when to come home to fill his belly. You are training the cats belly. Cats navigate by the sun. They know when it is five o'clock if that is their feeding time. I feed my cats at 8 am and 5pm. They have water all day and night. At 5:05PM the harassment begins. At 4:30PM they are pointing to their little cat watches, then to their open mouths, back and forth, until I make the connection.
Testimonials
Milo. Accidentally got into the back of a delivery truck and was transported from New York to New Jersey. (If you are reading this in a country other than the USA New York to New Jersey is like France to Germany A two hours drive away by car). The owner of truck denied for two days that the cat had been in the truck. It was on the third day of the cat missing that the company finally revealed the delivery address of the home the truck went to after my delivery. They revealed, "upon arrival a cat flew out of the back and ran off into the woods". I made 100 flyer's and returned to the area and discovered that Hasidim populated the area and taking a photograph from a gentile was not going to fly. I resorted to stuffing the flyer's into mailboxes instead. Everyday I drove the two hours back to the area and called his name. Eleven days later I received a phone call stating that Milo had been found. Two little kids had gone to their mailbox and seen Milo's picture and made it a game to find my cat.
Same cat, Milo. Hit by a car. Pelvis broken unable to use back legs. Drug himself to an area under my window. Howled until I came to him. Got him to vet, locked him in a room for a month and a month to the day after accident he got up and continued on with his life. They meow to communicate with you. Never forget that. Every single thing that comes out of their mouths is a message to you.
Arlo. Failed to return at the end of the day. On the following morning I canvassed my neighbourhood with pictures of my cat. Three people claimed to have seen him. One person advised me to return to the streets after 8pm because that's when the cats get busy on my block. That same evening, when traffic was low, I walked around my block calling out his name. As I came to the end of one street I heard his voice wailing from the other side of a garage door. I could see him through the cracks. He jutted his paws out trying to grab me. The neighbours had a number for the owner and they called him. I had my cat back within two hours of spotting him.
You can find your cat. Your cat wants to be found. If they can hear your voice and they can meow they will tell you where they are. You just have to be listening and you can't wait five days to get into action; the moment you know something is wrong is the time to begin looking. The best book I ever purchased on the subject of cat care was:
I've saved many a cat life from this book as it has an excellent section on cat emergency care that uses a truly simple format of yes and no questions that can save your cat's life. The BBC is making the best documentaries about cats and if you can catch The BBC The New Horizon Experiment series you will be in for a treat. (One episode is on YOUTUBE).
To end I will leave you with a classic made by the father of a family friend. The mother cat transports her kittens to safety by the scruff of the neck. She also licks them to stimulate them, get them to thrive and give them comfort. When my cats have been seriously ill I have taken a damp (not wet) face cloth and roughly stroked the cats face and body, making damp the top layer of fur to mimic the comfort they received from their mother's. This is what I do when they are really sick and you think they may not make it.
Here are my cat rules:
No living under or behind furniture
No flipping out if I pick you up
No hissing or scratching unless it's warranted and for defense purposes. Anything which I need from you, the cat, is not be construed as 'for defense' purposes.
No rolling your eyes and sauntering off when company comes calling. If I'm friendly you have to be friendly
You don't like the food? Get over it. You will like it in a week.
Here is what my cat gets in return:
Medical visits and all necessary shots
Grooming
Free food and shelter
Endless love
The best life a cat could ever wish for. You were adopted and in some cases were chosen despite having a 'rap sheet'. It's time to get serious; start polishing your whiskers
Cats are like dogs; you can train them. I have trained my cats with unconventional methods but methods which do no harm to the animal. I have lived with remarkable cats that friends and neighbours remember fondly.
When I encounter a cat that hides or freaks out when I try to pick it up, I place it in the middle of my bed and lay my body over the cat with only its head exposed and we stay like this until you know who stops squirming. (I am not doing this with kittens but rather full grown cats with former owner abuse issues). At the same time I pet its head, rub my nose against the cat's nose and talk calmly and soothingly. In the same way a dog needs to know who is boss a cat needs to know the same thing but mostly it needs to know it is safe. Pinning it down with your body does not hurt the cat, but it is also not something they expect and their claws and teeth become useless as a defense. You will only need to do this about three times; cats are quick on the uptake. Any time you decide to pick your cat up, pick the cat up. You pay the rent. You and the cat are roommates. He can leave if he doesn't like it. Eventually the cat will tolerate being handled, cease fighting you, and understand instinctively that anything you are doing to their furry self is for a reason which will not cause pain.
When you want to encourage a specific behaviour or shush a 'no' to the cat you grab it by the scruff of the neck, the same place its mother grabbed with her mouth, and you say 'NO' and then release the cat. If your cat has toilet issues or pica see a vet. You will only be doing this about three times too. This training is not ongoing. This is what you do to nip things in the bud. Never, ever, ever hit your cat. Like elephants, cats don't forget. They will plot your demise if you abuse them. The scruff of the neck is the only place that doesn't hurt them but it is the place of authority that they know.
The Cat's Meow
Cat's meow only to communicate with humans; you. They don't meow at other cats. They may hiss or growl and they might make a back of the throat 'cack-cack-cack' sound when hunting. Your cat meows like no other cat on the planet. Learn what it sounds like. Learn how to pick it out of a crowd of meowing cats. Learn what your cat sounds like when it's happy and when it's distressed. When its hungry or frustrated.; bored or feeling affectionate. The duration of the meow is an indicator too. If the sound is coming from the bowels, long and low, your cat is distressed physically and needs immediate attention. If you are petting your cat and with its eyes closed the cat gives a crack of a meow, kind of like he's saying 'meh', he's happy. Your cat knows your voice. He can pick you out at a cocktail party of 300 chattering humans. Your cat will develop a repertoire of sound that he has designed specifically for you.
Pictures
Take a picture of your cat. You may think your cat looks like every other cat but he doesn't. The stripes, spots, the whiskers, the tail, all these things are unique to your cat and no other cat looks like yours. If your cat goes missing having a picture is way better than having to utter: He's gray.
People naturally think cats are destined to be lost which is why putting a poster up on a street pole is useless. Cats natural roaming perimeter is about two square blocks. When your cat goes missing you have to involve everyone in the area where your cat roams. You are the spokesperson for your cat. No one gives a crap about your cat but they will care about you talking about your cat and engaging them with how important the cat's retrieval is to you. It is natural for people to imagine that cat's naturally disappear and dogs get returned. It doesn't have to be this way.
Feeding
If your cat is an outdoor cat you must feed it at specific times. No cat should be left food to eat all day long but timed feeding is crucial for an outdoor cat. The cat needs to know when to come home to fill his belly. You are training the cats belly. Cats navigate by the sun. They know when it is five o'clock if that is their feeding time. I feed my cats at 8 am and 5pm. They have water all day and night. At 5:05PM the harassment begins. At 4:30PM they are pointing to their little cat watches, then to their open mouths, back and forth, until I make the connection.
Testimonials
Milo. Accidentally got into the back of a delivery truck and was transported from New York to New Jersey. (If you are reading this in a country other than the USA New York to New Jersey is like France to Germany A two hours drive away by car). The owner of truck denied for two days that the cat had been in the truck. It was on the third day of the cat missing that the company finally revealed the delivery address of the home the truck went to after my delivery. They revealed, "upon arrival a cat flew out of the back and ran off into the woods". I made 100 flyer's and returned to the area and discovered that Hasidim populated the area and taking a photograph from a gentile was not going to fly. I resorted to stuffing the flyer's into mailboxes instead. Everyday I drove the two hours back to the area and called his name. Eleven days later I received a phone call stating that Milo had been found. Two little kids had gone to their mailbox and seen Milo's picture and made it a game to find my cat.
Same cat, Milo. Hit by a car. Pelvis broken unable to use back legs. Drug himself to an area under my window. Howled until I came to him. Got him to vet, locked him in a room for a month and a month to the day after accident he got up and continued on with his life. They meow to communicate with you. Never forget that. Every single thing that comes out of their mouths is a message to you.
Arlo. Failed to return at the end of the day. On the following morning I canvassed my neighbourhood with pictures of my cat. Three people claimed to have seen him. One person advised me to return to the streets after 8pm because that's when the cats get busy on my block. That same evening, when traffic was low, I walked around my block calling out his name. As I came to the end of one street I heard his voice wailing from the other side of a garage door. I could see him through the cracks. He jutted his paws out trying to grab me. The neighbours had a number for the owner and they called him. I had my cat back within two hours of spotting him.
You can find your cat. Your cat wants to be found. If they can hear your voice and they can meow they will tell you where they are. You just have to be listening and you can't wait five days to get into action; the moment you know something is wrong is the time to begin looking. The best book I ever purchased on the subject of cat care was:
To end I will leave you with a classic made by the father of a family friend. The mother cat transports her kittens to safety by the scruff of the neck. She also licks them to stimulate them, get them to thrive and give them comfort. When my cats have been seriously ill I have taken a damp (not wet) face cloth and roughly stroked the cats face and body, making damp the top layer of fur to mimic the comfort they received from their mother's. This is what I do when they are really sick and you think they may not make it.
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