Things to do if your cat has escaped
Many cats that disappear or escape return home after a while as if nothing has happened. It can also be the case that your outdoor cat does not come home after a day outdoors or that your indoor cat manages to sneak out. While your cat is away, you as the owner often feel both worried and stressed. Here you can read our advice on how you can find your cat. Never give up hope and never stop looking. In most cases, the cat will come home again.
Do you have an indoorcat that has escaped?
Many indoor cats that are not used to being outdoors often stay close to the place where they disappeared. Leave water and food bowls where the cat disappeared and place the cat's favorite blanket, a small bed or something else that reminds and smells like home. A cat can actually smell it even from a long distance. An indoor cat that is not familiar with the outdoors can easily become frightened and stressed, the cat can run away or hide when a human approaches. Do not chase the cat or run after it if you see it, but continue to lay out food at the place where the cat disappeared.
A cat that has escaped can stay hidden during the day and during the evening when it starts to get dark and calmer on the streets, it goes out to look for food. If the weather is bad, the cat can also hide somewhere to protect itself. Most cats stay close to the place where they disappeared, so start the search in the immediate area.
What should I do?
Contact djurD.se and announce that your cat is gone. Also check that your registered information is correct so that whoever finds the cat can reach you.
Call the police on telephone number 114 14 and make a report that the cat has disappeared. In this way, they can contact you if the cat is found or handed in to an animal shelter or the County Administrative Board.
Talk to your neighbors and others in the immediate area and report that your cat is missing. The cat may have hidden in a neighbor's storeroom / garage or under a car. Show them a picture of your cat so that they can more easily recognize the cat if they see it.
Put up notes in the immediate area with a picture of the cat and your contact information. Also remember to set up and hand out new notes on an ongoing basis as they are often taken down.
Today there are many local Facebook pages / groups but there are also pages for only stray cats where you can post in. Post a picture, where the cat disappeared and your contact information to make it easier for people to help you with the search.
Vilse.nu is a free service provided by the Swedish Cat Protection Association where you can post. The purpose of the page is to allow more stray cats to be reunited with their owners.
Swedish Facebook pages/groups for stray cats:
Vi längtar hem
Bortsprungna katter - Djurid.se
Missing cats Sweden
Efterlysta djur
The Swedish Kennel Club (SKK) also has an emergency telephone that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a year where they answer questions about stray cats. The phone number to the emergency phone at SKK is 08-795 30 50.
Do not give up hope of finding your beloved cat. Stay out long, shout and wait! There are cases where the cat has been found after several years! Good luck!
At present, there is no requirement for you to ID tag your cat in Sweden, but there is a law on tagging and registration that will take effect in 2023. If you already want to ID tag your cat, you should turn to a veterinarian. The veterinarian may mark the cat with either a chip or a tattoo. If you are unsure of which type of ID tag to choose, we recommend that you consult a veterinarian. Do not forget to also register your cat after it has been ID tagged. At the Swedish Cat Clubs' National Association (SVERAK) and the Swedish Kennel Club, DjurID, you can easily register your cat and fill in your contact information.
