Check every hidden spot on your property: Roof cavity, under the house, behind appliances, inside wardrobes or cupboards left ajar, the garden shed, under decking, and inside any parked vehicles. Cats can compress into surprisingly small spaces.

Move slowly and quietly: A stressed cat may not come when called but will respond to patience. Sit still and listen for a faint cry before moving to the next spot.

Have someone set up a Spotted case: While you search, have a second person create a Spotted case and share the link with neighbours — sightings start logging in real time as word spreads in your street.

Ask neighbours to check enclosed spaces: Knock on doors along your street and ask them to check garages, sheds, and any areas a cat could slip into and not get back out of.

Time your searches for dim light: Cats are most active and vocal at dusk and dawn. A hiding cat is far more likely to move, respond to your voice, or call out during these windows than in the middle of the day.

Bring a torch: Check under parked cars, inside drain pipes, behind garden beds, and along fence lines. Dark corners are often where a hiding cat will be.

Sit still and listen: A frightened cat may not come running but may give a faint cry if they hear you nearby. Move slowly, call their name gently, and pause to listen between calls.

Set up a scent station: Place your cat's litter tray, used bedding, and a bowl of food near your front or back door. Familiar smells are a powerful pull for a cat navigating home.

Add a worn item of your clothing: The scent of someone they trust reassures a frightened cat that home is safe.

Don't move these items once placed: A cat returning cautiously at night may rely on scent rather than sight — shifting things disrupts the trail.

Call your council ranger the same day: Holding periods for cats vary significantly between councils — un-chipped cats can be rehomed in as little as 48–72 hours. Don't delay.

Visit in person with a clear photo: Coat patterns and markings are impossible to convey over the phone, and a stressed cat in a shelter may look and behave quite differently from your description. Go yourself, walk every enclosure, and return every 2–3 days.

Also contact:

• Your nearest RSPCA shelter
• Local cat-specific rescues and foster networks
• Wildlife organisations in your area — injured cats are sometimes brought in alongside wildlife

Share your case link: Distribute your Spotted case link across search groups, social posts, and flyers so every sighting reaches you in one place.

A single sighting changes everything: For a hiding cat, knowing which neighbour's shed they were seen near is far more useful than searching at random. Spotted's real-time alert pins let you redirect your search immediately.

Call every vet clinic in the area: A frightened or injured cat may have been brought in by a well-meaning neighbour who didn't know whose cat it was.

Send a photo by email or text: Ask staff to keep it on file and check against new arrivals. Follow up every 2–3 days — reception staff change between shifts and new patients arrive daily.

Target suburb-specific groups: Post in local Facebook groups ("Lost Pets [Suburb]"), Nextdoor, and neighbourhood WhatsApp or Telegram chats.

Lead with distinctive markings: Include multiple photos showing tabby patterns, eye colour, white patches, scars, or unusual features. The more specific your post, the more useful the responses will be.

Include your Spotted case link: Direct people to log sightings there rather than messaging you individually — it keeps everything in one map.

A scared cat won't come when called: Even to familiar people. If your cat has been sighted nearby but won't approach, a humane trap is the most effective tool — far more reliable than calling their name.

Bait and position carefully: Use strong-smelling food — tuna, sardines, or cooked chicken. Place the trap against a wall or under cover near where they were last seen.

Check every few hours: Especially at dusk and dawn when cats are most active. Never leave a trap unattended overnight without checking it.

Borrow from council or RSPCA: Free trap loans are often available for lost pet situations — call ahead to arrange.

Design for distinctive markings: Use multiple photos showing coat patterns, eye colour, and any unique features. Include last-seen location, a large phone number, and a QR code linking directly to your Spotted case.

Weatherproof your flyers: Enclose in plastic sleeves taped upside down, or laminate them.

Cover high-traffic touchpoints:

• Letterbox drops: Every residential mailbox within a 1–2 block radius.
• Pet hubs: Local vet clinics, grooming salons, and pet supply stores.
• Community hubs: Notice boards at cafes, supermarkets, and bus stops.
• Shelter display: Leave a flyer on the notice board at your council shelter.

Audit your microchip records: Outdated contact details are the most common reason microchipped cats aren't returned. Verify your current phone and address on PetAddress.com.au, which routes to your official registry:

• Central Animal Records (CAR)
• Australasian Animal Registry (AAR)
• Petsafe / Global Microchip Registry

List on PetRescue: Add your cat to the PetRescue lost & found section to reach people actively scanning listings for found cats.

Knock on doors and ask for physical checks: Neighbours should check garages, sheds, under decking, and any enclosed space a cat could become trapped in. A cat that has been hiding for several days may be too weak to call out.

Keep the humane trap set: If there have been any confirmed sightings nearby, leave the trap in place and continue checking it at dusk and dawn.

Revisit the council shelter every 2–3 days: New intakes arrive continuously, and some cats travel further than expected before being picked up.

Refresh social media posts every few days: Bumping posts keeps them visible in feeds — new people join local groups daily and may have seen something.

Keep your Spotted case current: Add any new confirmed sightings, behaviour notes, or areas searched. A current case gives community members the best information to act on.

Continue dusk and dawn searches: Even weeks in, these are your best window for finding a cat that has been hiding close by the whole time.

Share the good news everywhere: Post on every Facebook group, Nextdoor page, and WhatsApp chat you used. It brings closure to everyone who helped, and encourages the same community to help others.

Update and close your Spotted case: Mark it as resolved so community members know the search is over.

Notify the shelter, vets, and rescues you contacted: A quick call removes your cat from their active watch list and maintains the relationship for the future.

Book a check-up the same day: Dehydration and minor injuries are common in cats that have been missing for several days, even when they don't show it. A vet check is always worth it.

Confirm your microchip details are current: Update anything that changed during the search so you're prepared if it ever happens again.