How to Find My Lost Cat: Advice From Expert Kim Freeman

Kim Freema and Henry
Meet Kimberly Freeman and her trusty companion tracker cat, Henry.

 

Mewla here.

 

We love our cats.

 

They’re there when we wake up in the morning and when we kiss them goodnight before bed. Imagine one day you open your front door and your furball dashes out the door. You look all over but cannot find her. Nighttime comes and she’s still gone.

 

Each year, about 10 million pets are lost in the US alone. Once escaped, a pet can be scared and hiding. He could be stuck somewhere and unable to escape. Or, he may have been grabbed by a well-meaning or not-so-well-meaning stranger. Other times, lost pets end up in animal shelters. Unfortunately, if a cat parent hasn’t microchipped the cat, that person will likely never find their cat again (1). However, when your fur baby gets lost, there are many steps you can take to find her.

 

I spoke to noted “Lost Cat Finder” and certified MPP (missing pet professional) Kim Freeman. Kim is the author of How to Find a Lost Cat: The Professional Guide to the Correct Methods for Recovering a Missing Cat (a booklet available on Amazon). Her work is based on scientific research, thousands of lost cat cases, and successfully finding cats in 23 countries worldwide. Kim’s helpful website  https://www.lostcatfinder.com/contains dozens of happy testimonials from pet owners who had thought they had tried everything when they lost their cats.

 

Mewla: Kim, thank you for joining us! You’ve been a pet detective for over 12 years now and so have seen it all.  Tell us, what is the most typical way(s) that cats you’ve worked with become lost?

Cat Detective on AM News Austin
Kim's success finding cats makes headlines.

Kim:  I’d say about ¾ of my cases are indoor-only lost cats who slipped out the door. The rest are split between cats allowed to go out who disappear and do not come home as expected. A few are Pet Sitter cases of cats who disappear when someone else is in charge or visiting. 

 

Some are lost away from home, whether in the vet’s parking lot with a carrier mishap, at a boarding facility, or even cats lost in car wrecks or in transit to a new location.

One such case was a kitten who slipped out of a car at night while in transit cross-country to a new home. I took my lost cat tracking cat Henry to sniff his path out. We traced him under a deck near the gas station. Henry’s first case was a success, and he went on to track lost cats for years. He was the perfect lost pet tracking cat.

 

Mewla: Aw, Henry was amazing! Seeing him in action in your videos is inspiring. It’s so reassuring to know that, should the worst occur, help is available.

 

What about cats who’ve been missing for a while-Have you been able to help locate cats that have been gone for several days or even months? 

 

Kim:  Yes I’ve had dozens of cases recovering cats who were lost for weeks, months, and even years. Unfortunately, many people don’t contact me until they’ve tried all the bad advice for two weeks. When none of the common “armchair expert“advice works, they finally turn to a professional. Unfortunately, after two weeks, the complications have mounted exponentially. Many people take foolish measures based on human mentality instead of from a cat’s perspective. This unknowingly creates complications and problem situations I have to undo.

 

To inspire your readers who might have a lost cat right now, I want to tell the story of Petra. She was lost in rough Texas hill country where there were many coyotes. Her owner gave up after only a few weeks, but I found Petra a year later: skinny and hungry but still very much alive. Another case was Astra who slipped out the door just before New Year’s Eve. I found her two years later. She was elderly when lost, so I want everyone to know how even older cats are amazing survivors, so do not give up in despair so quickly.

“Take photos of your cat in a standing, full body position and walking as if they’d appear if seen on the street.” – Kim Freeman

Lost Cat Kit
The Lost Cat Kit contains the materials needed to track down a cat in just about any situation.

Mewla: I love those stories, Kim! Thankfully, our cats often surprise us with their resilience.

 

Not everyone may be able to use your consulting or in-person services. Will you tell us about your Cat Finding Kit?

 

Kim:  The online Lost Cat Kit was created so that owners all over the world can access my tricks and tips without having to hire me in person.  The lost cat kit also includes a booklet of the steps for each type of cat and scenario. This way, cat guardians can do what I would do if I were there and skip all the time-wasters, old wives’ tales, mistakes, and mishaps.

 

The kit includes a video showing how to set traps, how to use trail cameras, how to track clues, and all the little tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years. Combining the booklet plus the video gives a show and tell of how to find a lost cat from an expert point of view.

Although my How to Find a Lost Cat book is available on Amazon the full kit is on my website. The online version includes free lost cat poster templates, door hangers, paper collars, tips on getting a cat out of a tree, the 87 page booklet How to Find a Lost Cat plus the one-hour video.

 

Mewla: Many of our readers right now may be thinking about how they can prevent their cat from going missing in the first place. A microchip will help ensure that a shelter or animal center can contact us if our cat is turned into them. In addition to microchipping, what’s the most important step people take to prevent their furball from being lost in the first place?

Kim suggests saving one of your cat’s whiskers because its root can be used to determine DNA.

This fun “trailer” (above) features Kim’s cat Henry.

Kim:  Being prepared is one of the most important things you can do. In addition to micro-chipping your cat, have a plan ready in case the worst happens. 

 

Oddly enough very few people have the ideal photo of their cat ready to go for lost cat flyers. After 12 years of finding lost cats as a professional pet detective, I’m amazed at how few people have a photo of their cat in an ideal standing, full-body position. Most have dozens of photos of their cat sleeping in cute positions upside down, snuggling, or sitting, but very few take a picture of their cat walking as they would be seen out in the world or noticed if running across the street. I hope your readers will stop now and take a picture of their cat against a plain background in a full-body standing position including their tail!

 

Additional prevention and preparation measures Kim recommends are:

 

PREP FOR SAFE TRANSPORT
This sounds basic, but you’d be surprised how many pet owners lose cats on the road or in parking lots. A cat inside a car can escape when involved in a traffic accident, or jump out prematurely when a door is opened (see the video below of the case of finding Little Mo, who had slipped out a car door, unnoticed, while stopping for gas).

 

Cat carriers have been known to break open during traffic accidents, in vet parking lots, and on conveyor belts at airports. No matter how crabby your cat becomes with confinement, make sure you transport him/her in a secure carrier.

 

SECURE YOUR PROPERTY
Check carefully along the perimeter of your fence for spaces or holes that you can fit a fist into. Cats can get through tiny spaces, so if they have not already escaped, add rocks or dirt to close them up. You’ll prevent your cat’s potential escape, as well as keep other critters from entering for a visit.

 

For those who let their cats out into the backyard, be warned; I’ve had many cases of cats who “always stayed in the backyard” yet one day vanished. Cats can jump five times their height, so unless you have secured the holes AND have a catio or roll-top fence, your cat may unpleasantly surprise you with their ninja escape abilities.

 

COLLECT AND STORE SCENT & DNA
In the event that your cat becomes lost and you need an animal trained to track lost pets, you’ll want to have a clean unadulterated sample of your cat’s scent. Save whiskers as they have a root attached which can be used to determine DNA. If no whiskers are available, put on a rubber glove, use a sterile gauze pad then wipe your pet’s body – back, tummy, and mouth. Place the gauze pad inside a plastic bag. Write the date and your pet’s name on the outside of the bag and place it in your freezer. If you have multiple pets, make separate bags for each of them.

happy reunion
Kitten "Mo" is one of many happy reunions.

Watch Kim and Henry track and find Little Mo after he snuck out when his family stopped for gas.

BE NEIGHBORLY
Make sure your neighbors know you have a cat whether your cat is indoor only or outdoor access. That way, if your cat ever escapes they will know who it belongs to and will be more likely to rescue and return your cat or notify you when they see it. 

 

BIRD ALERTS
Should your cat ever escape, listen to the birds. They will issue raucous alarm sounds to let others know there is a predator in the area. Blue jays and mockingbirds are very vocal when they spot a cat and make a specific call you can learn and tune into.

 

Examples of bird alarms on cats are included in my e-book, How to Find a Lost Cat as well as a chapter on tracking, coyote signs, and clue assessment.

 

PREPARE A LOST CAT KIT
Store photos, microchip number, and a mock-up lost cat flyer where they’re easy to access. Should you ever need them, this kit will save you precious time and stress. The best preparation is to at least skim the e-book and video “How-to-find-a-lost-cat-tips” so you can swing into action with the appropriate steps for your situation while avoiding all the common mistakes and bad advice (like putting out food or cat litter).

 

GET PROFESSIONAL HELP 

If you find yourself in the stressful position of searching for a missing cat, take action right away. Too many cat guardians hope for the best, not realizing the first 10 days are key. Consider ordering Freeman’s on-demand tutorial and e-book for a crash course on what to do, and remember, lost cats require special tactics. Make sure you use the right approach for your cat’s situation and personality.

Mewla: You provided some excellent advice, Kim. Thank you for this great list!  It’s clear that you champion the latest proven methods for recovering our missing cats. I appreciate your sharing your wonderful expertise with our readers.

I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the brave and handsome tracking cat you trained, Henry.  You called him your “silent partner.” Together, you’ve brought much relief to people who had feared that they would never see their cat again.

 

Kim: Yes, my adored tracking cat Henry retired a few years ago. I’m hoping one day to find a cat as brave, fearless, and scent-focused as Henry to help me with tracking lost indoor-only cats. Henry was one in a million – maybe one in a billion. I miss him terribly. He was a great cat detective and partner.

 

I’m glad and grateful I learned so much from him that I can pass his cat savvy along to cat owners in terms of spotting clues and solving lost cat cases in my custom online consultations.

 

Mewla: Henry was truly one-of-a-kind. I’m thrilled that you have videos of his amazing work. Most people probably wouldn’t believe Henry’s tracking ability and fearlessness unless they saw him in action. Your work together with him has been phenomenal. 

 

Thank you so much for joining us, Kim, and for all you do to reunite cats with their people.

Need to track down Kimberly Freeman, Lost Cat Finder? 

 

Website      

https://www.lostcatfinder.com

Instagram     https://www.instagram.com/lostcatfinder/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/LostCatFinder/

Linkedin       https://www.linkedin.com/in/lostcatfinder/

Twitter    

https://twitter.com/lostcatfinder

Youtube       https://www.youtube.com/@KimLostCatFinder

Lost Cat Kit   https://www.lostcatfinder.com/services/the-lost-cat-kit

In addition to the instant DIY Lost Cat Kit, Kim Freeman offers coaching sessions and in-person boots-on-the-ground lost cat search & rescue services. Find out more about all her cat detective services at https://www.lostcatfinder.com/

 

For those who prefer just the book as a hard copy, How to Find a Lost Cat: The professional

 guide to recovering a missing cat is available at https://www.amazon.com/How-Find-Lost-Cat

Looking to make your property safe for kitty? Go to Make Your Home Cat Safe

Please share a comment below.

 

 😼😸🐈

Footnote:

1.  Microchip your pet. Downloaded May 2024 from https://nationaltoday.com/chip-your-pet-month/

9 thoughts on “How to Find My Lost Cat: Advice From Expert Kim Freeman”

  2. JP

    Thanks for pulling together these great tips and tricks. I will share this article with all my cat-loving friends. It’s good to know that resources are out there for when we need them.

    Reply
  3. DR

    Great article Mewla! And glad to meet Kim too. I would be a mess if I lost my cat and now I know who to call.

    Reply
  4. CathyR

    This is a great article. I lost my beloved cat when I was on vacation a few years ago, and my friend (who wasn’t a huge cat lover) watched her. I put up signed and searched the neighborhood calling her name for months, with no luck. I still miss her today. I wish I knew about Kimberly Freeman then.

    Reply

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