How Long Do Cats Go Missing For?

Do this now, whatever the time

• Search your home, garden and the gardens either side, including under decking, in sheds and behind bins. Use a torch, even in daylight.
• Ask neighbours to open and check garages, sheds and outbuildings.
• Report your cat as missing to your microchip database and check the contact details are current.
• Tell local vets and rescues, and post in local groups with a clear photograph.
• Use the missing pet checklist and the poster generator to keep the search organised.

Cat missing overnight or for 12 hours

For a cat that normally goes out, a night away is not unusual, but it is still worth a proper look. Search at dawn and late evening when it is quiet, stand still and listen, and shake a food container your cat knows. Recheck anywhere a cat could have been shut in overnight, such as a neighbour's garage.

For an indoor cat that has got out, treat it as urgent from the start and follow the steps for an indoor cat that has escaped.

Cat missing for 24 hours

By now the report and the poster matter as much as the search. Make sure the microchip database, vets and rescues have been told, put posters up on nearby routes and ask neighbours to look at doorbell or garden camera footage.

Keep repeating the close search. A cat that is hiding or trapped may be very close, and it often takes several checks of the same place before one is found.

What are the chances of finding a cat after 24 hours?

Being missing for 24 hours does not mean your cat cannot be found. Time alone cannot predict an individual cat's chances, and nobody can honestly give you a figure for yours. Recheck nearby hiding places, ask neighbours to inspect sheds and garages, and update your missing pet reports with your microchip database, vets and rescues.

An indoor cat that has escaped is in unfamiliar surroundings and may stay hidden close to where it got out, so repeat careful local searches. An outdoor cat that has not come back from its usual routine may have been shut in or held up somewhere along routes it knows. In both cases, follow reliable sightings as they come in. Cats Protection advice on losing a cat covers further steps.

There is no point at which a search must stop. Keep reports and posters active for as long as your cat is missing.

Cat missing for two days or longer

Keep the search going on a steady routine. Ring vets and rescues again, since a new arrival may not match an old report, and check local found pet posts daily. Widen the area gradually, especially if someone reports a sighting, and read how far a missing cat can travel before deciding where to go next.

Indoor cat escaped or outdoor cat not returning?

• An indoor cat has no familiar territory outside and is often very frightened. Many hide close to where they got out, so search tightly around the home first.
• An outdoor cat has a normal range and routes it knows. Think about where it usually goes, and about places it could have been shut in or disturbed, such as building work or a new neighbour's shed.
• Either way, a cat that has not been seen may still be nearby, so recheck before widening.

When could extra search help be useful?

Most cat searches are close to home, in places a drone cannot see into. Aerial help is more relevant when a sighting points to open ground nearby, such as fields, allotments or rough land that is slow to walk. Read can a drone find a missing cat or use the drone search checker to see whether it may suit your situation.