The first impulse is to panic and that's exactly what we did when Luna and Meerclar went on an unexpected journey in late July of 2004.  I was running up and down the streets, calling their names, tears streaking down my cheeks.  This is natural and sometimes it will help, especially if you keep your voice from sounding angry or afraid.  But when an indoor-only kitty gets away, their first tendency is to hide and they may be afraid of coming to you, even if they desperately want to get home.

In our case, we were lucky.  Luna was missing for two days, Meerclar for two weeks.  We did everything we could think of and that was suggested to get them back.  To make a long and horrible story short, two days after she disappeared, I saw Luna in the backyard.  She was frightened and hungry, and I managed to catch her.  Two WEEKS later, our wonderful neighbors managed to spot and catch Meerclar two weeks later.  We’ll always be grateful to him for saving our little girl.  She'd lost almost five pounds and we were grateful she was chunky to begin with.  Now we take extra care with the doors and are paranoid and strict about the issue when friends come to visit.

So what should you do? 

I am reprinting the advice that I wrote from the back pages of my book, A Harvest of Bones (which deals with this issue).  Please do not post on other websites or send via email.  Send a link, instead, or refer to the book. All rights reserved, 2005.

• Make color fliers of your pet and post them all over the neighborhood, for several blocks.
• Give fliers to veterinarians in your area just in case someone brings in your cat or dog—vets do pay attention to these.
• Offer a reward but don’t specify how much in the flier.  There are people who will try to take advantage of grieving owners.
• Check the local animal shelters to see if your pet is there.  Don’t rely on a phone call.  Check every day that they’re open.
• You might also want to call your city’s street department to ask if they found any animals on the side of the road—a gruesome thought, but it can at least put to rest some disappearances.  Closure is always better than wondering what happened.
• Rent or borrow a humane trap from your local ASPCA or local pet rescue organization and learn how to use it.  It may seem heartless to try and trap your own cat, but it does work for a lot of people and it won’t hurt them.
• If you use perfume, spray it around your yard in a trail leading up to your door.  This will be a familiar scent for them to follow.
• Engage the neighborhood kids in trying to find your pet.  Children are notoriously good at searching out lost animals and understand your worry more than some adults might.
• Search every hidey-hole, no matter how small.  Cats are experts at sneaking into tight places.
• Remember: your pet may be so scared that he or she won’t come when you call.  Be patient, sit out in your yard and talk to them as if they were there next to you.  Use gentle tones.
• Visit the ASPCA’s website on line for more tips and hints (www.aspca.org).
• And lastly: don’t give up.  We found our girls and other pets have been gone for two or three years or more, then sauntered home.  It can happen.

For the charm, you will need:

• A picture of your pet
• A statue or figurine of a cat or dog (match it to your pet’s species)
• A can of cat or dog food
• Six quartz crystal spikes—small or large, but approximately the same size as one another.
• 1 oz. catnip (for both cat and dog)
• A piece of blank paper and a red ink pen
• A brown or green pouch with a red ribbon

On the piece of paper, write your pet’s name in firm, bold letters across the top.  Beneath this, print your name, address, and the words: 

Fold the paper and hold it, concentrating on your pet.  Visualize them walking through the yard, up to the door, and into the house.  Send this energy out to them, then place the paper in the pouch and add the catnip.  Tie the ribbon firmly and place the pouch on top of your pet’s picture. 

Set the can of food next to the picture, along with the statue, then circle everything with the quartz, pointy ends facing out (like sunbeams).  Each day your pet is gone, come to this altar and visualize them coming home, while you repeat the charm. 

Hold hope in your heart, and do everything you can on a practical level to find your friend.  I wish you well with this—it helped our girls find their way home, I’m positive of it.

From A Harvest of Bones by Yasmine Galenorn, Berkley Prime Crime, 2005
All rights reserved.