I have been asked to help people to look for their lost cats several times in the last few weeks.

On the one hand I desperately want to be able to get enough information to enable the owner to find the cat but on the other hand I’m all too aware that finding lost animals is extremely difficult for any animal communicator.  Some refuse even to try and I completely understand why.

Why is it so difficult?

Let’s assume we have a cat that got lost, someone picked it up and took it to a rescue group.  The rescue group has found it a loving home.  A communicator like myself is asked to speak with the cat to find out where it is.  The cat tells the communicator that it’s living in a two story house with a front and back garden.  The house has double glazed windows and a blue front door.  The people in the house are called John and Mary and they have two children named Andrew and Jane.  The street has bus stops on it and a school at the end of the road.  That all sounds amazing, but it doesn’t tell us what street the cat is in, or even what town.  No matter how good the information it still may not help to locate the cat, a sad truth.  Sometimes of course the cat will give something that is the needed clue, but so often that is not the case.

Is it even worth involving a communicator?

Well, that’s entirely up to the person who loves and misses their cat and I know if I had a lost cat I would try every means to find him/her, including asking a communicator. But it’s OK if you feel different.

So what should you do if your cat, or any other pet, is lost?

There are websites where you can report it, like Petlog in the UK.  You can put leaflets on lampposts, leaflets in vet offices, grooming parlours, boarding facilities, pet shops…  anywhere that the person who has the pet might visit.  If the pet isn’t with anyone, somebody who sees a leaflet may recognise him/her if they see them out and about.

If you choose to ask a communicator for help you need to have realistic expectations and any communicator worth their salt is likely to tell you that they may not be able to help you find the pet even if they get fantastic information.  Many communicators put this on their websites.  They’re not trying to put you off, just making sure you understand that no matter what information they get it may still not be enough.

Dogs, in particular, tend to go into the flight/fight response quite quickly as it helps them to survive.  The problem is that in this state they often won’t even go to their own family members and a trap may have to be used to catch them.  No amount of pleading with them to go to the people they love can break through their fear.

It’s a terrible thing to lose a beloved pet and I will continue to do my best to help

The important thing is not to give up hope.  We lost a cat some years ago and he came home after being missing for a year.  They often want to get back to you just as much as you want to get them home.