Outdoor cat run away
The most important to-dos
The radius and the territory of an outdoor cat are often much larger than the owners think possible, so that the way home can sometimes take significantly longer than usual. Nevertheless, she could be in the vicinity and, for example, no longer dare to go home after a turf war or be locked up with you or neighbors. Please therefore implement the measures described below.
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IMPORTANT: Experience has shown that outdoor cats are sometimes on the move for 2-3 days for a variety of reasons. This also applies to the most reliable "home comers". So wait and see. But of course it doesn't hurt if you implement the measures earlier.
Search everything in your apartment and / or house several times (!) Exactly, do not rely on other statements. Cats often hide in very unusual places. Behind closets, under bed boxes, washing machines, in basement compartments, etc. If you are frightened, it can take longer to leave your shelter. Also remember to search garages, sheds and garden sheds several times (!) And leave them open for a long time so that the cat can get out, even if you haven't seen them there. Sometimes cats are real artists in hiding. Also ask your neighbors that you can check their garages, sheds and basements yourself or at least leave all doors open for a while so that the frightened cat can make its way home in peace.
Outdoor cats are often not easy to find, even if they have the best relationship with you, and after a while of absence they behave completely differently than in a familiar home. It is not uncommon for many cats to return under cover of the darkness of the night. So go looking again after dark. Bring a flashlight to see the reflective cat's eyes if necessary. Clatters with the usual cat box, calls carefully and (as) relaxed as possible, makes familiar noises.
Make sure to also leave your apartment / house doors open so that your cat has the opportunity to come back. Put a filled food bowl in front of your door, also the litter box and / or the cat's blanket. This allows your cat to smell its own familiar scent.
Post a missing person report with a photo of your cat in our partner Facebook group Cats missed and ran to Munich and around a. There are over 3,000 members who are well connected. Please enter the district, street name and telephone number under which you can be reached at any time and the information whether it is chipped and registered (no chip number).
Inform the following institutions by telephone (telephone numbers can be found at Important addresses ):​
Towing home (HWS)
The HWS is one of the most successful measures in animal search. The purpose of this train is to help the cat get home. Basically, it is important to clarify who is suitable for doing the whiplash, because the owner is not always the closest reference person for the pet. The smell of other pets or neighbors is also theoretically possible. Please contact us beforehand.
Imagine the home as the sun and the train home as the rays of the sun that lead towards the house.
A T-shirt worn by the caregiver before the runaway is tied to a leash. Now you cycle away from home in one direction. After about 1-2 km you turn around and leave your T-shirt dragged on the floor while driving home. When you get home, you take your T-shirt back up and drive in a different direction. After 1-2 km you turn around again and let the T-shirt drag on the floor. You do this in a star shape from all directions, always in the direction of home. Please never drive over rails, large busy roads, etc.!
HWS with the car ideally works like this: A friend of the family drives his car (i.e. a car that is unfamiliar to the cats) and takes the owner with him. After driving 2 km in one direction, the owner gets out and walks home dragging a worn shirt along the ground behind him. The acquaintance picks it up at home and drives 2km in a different direction. From there the owner goes home with the dragging T-shirt. You do this in a star shape from all directions, always in the direction of home.
Important: In the case of runaway cats, a drag with the owner's urine, diluted with water in a plastic bottle, has proven its worth. Holes are made in the lid so that liquid drips out when the bottle is turned upside down. The cervical spine can be strengthened with it. Please only carry catnip, valerian or similar items after consulting us and bear in mind that these can also attract foreign cats and, if necessary, prevent your own cat from returning home (turf wars, etc.).
Flyer
If the indoor cat has not returned after a few hours, flyers are essential in order to get attention and report sightings. Flyers can either be requested from Tasso or designed yourself.
When designing, it should be noted that two / three smaller photos make the animal on a lamppost easier to recognize than a large one. When it comes to text, less is more, so that readers can grasp the most important things quickly. In order to be able to check sighting reports, no information about special characteristics should be given. Telephone numbers are of course also important, ideally with small tear-off slips.
The owners should replace the HWS after the flyer if necessary.
The number of flyers hung is another important criterion. Please hang up at least 300 to 500 pieces within a radius of 2 to 3 km in order to get the necessary attention from people! It is important to fly prominent places and junctions: In front of the bakery, supermarket, butcher, hairdresser, riding stables, voluntary fire brigade, taxi driver, intersections, etc.
Please note: Flyers are only allowed with prior permission from the responsible authority. Disregard of these regulations can be punished as administrative offenses with a fine. The following is therefore not officially permitted: Placing posters, for example, on trees, lamp posts, street signs, benches, construction fences, power boxes, rubbish bins, etc. Even in private areas, flyers are only permitted with the prior consent of the person entitled (owner, leaseholder, owner, etc.) . Otherwise you violate the rights of third parties.
Unofficially, people usually turn a blind eye. So that it stays that way, we kindly ask you to remove the flyer when the missing animal is back home! Thanks.
Life trap
The use of a live trap makes sense if all attempts to manually secure the cat have failed. In some cases this can happen relatively quickly, for example because there is no close relationship with the owners, they are not mobile or not on site (vacation). Live traps and wildlife cameras can be used for a fee can be borrowed from us.
This is how you can reach us
Cat owners please fill this out first form so that we can get a better picture of the situation. We will get in touch with you as soon as possible!
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Dog owners can contact us via our Facebook group . One of us is almost always online!