Lost cat in Dallas found with pet detective coaching plan!
Charlie's story (and sleeping positions) are awe inspiring. He escaped -- dragging a leash-- from his own backyard, but thanks to a group effort, he's home after 18 days!!
Here's Jessica to tell the story ...
"My name is Jessica and I’m helping my parents look for their missing cat in Dallas, TX. Charlie. He sprained his hind leg on March 14 and was limping, hopping around on three legs. My dad still let him out in the mornings.
On Thursday afternoon, he meowed for about an hour to go out and I had the idea to put him on my dad’s dog’s leash and to take him out into the backyard for a few minutes. He laid in the grass, rolled in the dirt and we went back inside.
On Friday, the leash got wrapped in the bushes. While I was trying to untangle it, Charlie took off like a banshee, leash trailing behind him.
He shimmied under the side gate and was gone.
I really regret taking him out on the leash. Of course, hindsight is 20/20.
I figured he was somewhere in the neighborhood and would come home that night. At 630, he still wasn’t home. At 730, I drove around looking for him in the neighborhood. A few hours later, it started raining. It rained really hard for several hours. My mom made fliers that night and my dad posted them on Sunday morning.
I also talked to my mom about him being on a leash and she told me that Charlie’s collar was NOT a break-away.
Charlie is chipped, so my mom called the company to report him missing. They provided a generic flier, which I passed out at local businesses like the grooming store, the vet, and the pet store.
I bought your book 8 days ago. I was doing research online about how to find him, and found your “how to Find a Lost Cat” info. I read the book, watched the video, and printed it for my parents who aren’t that computer savvy.
My dad isn’t a big reader.
I had been looking for him every night and realized that we had been doing it exactly how you said NOT to look for a lost cat.
Today is day 13.
So far I think there have been 3 sightings ... the last was on Monday. When my dad found out it wasn’t Charlie, my mom said he burst into tears. My dad has stopped looking. He’s discouraged and it’s just like you said: grief avoidance.
I love that you have a trained search cat named Henry who finds lost cats based on their smell. If Charlie was my cat, I’d have hired you a week ago, but he’s technically my Dad’s cat.
Regardless, I love Charlie like he’s my cat since I spent so much time with him as a kitten.
Your website says if I read the book and apply your methods but cat is not found I could get a refund. I am pretty sure my parents haven’t applied your methods. I’m not so concerned about getting a refund I just need a custom consult. I know I'm just spinning my wheels looking at the shelter websites every day.
I feel that your skills and services are amazing and I’d like to see if we can arrange a phone call.
Truly, Jessica
>>> THE NIGHT AFTER OUR CONSULT:
"Kim! Chalie is home! Here's what happened:
Based on your advice from our call, I asked my friend Kelsey in the area tape flyers at the houses circled on the map you made. Even if they weren’t home, she taped the fliers to their front door, on the glass, just like you said.
That night, my dad got a text with a picture at 10:30 pm saying “I think your cat is under my deck.” My dad called them. No answer. So he raced over there but they didn’t answer the door!
Dad was at the neighbors trying to get in. He was standing outside of their 10 foot fence and said he either saw or heard Charlie, but he wouldn’t come towards him, just like you said.
The neighbor finally answered their phone and let my dad into the backyard! My dad said had to use almost a whole bag of treats to lure him out.
The neighbor said they'd seen Charlie under their deck back on Friday, but he wouldn’t come out, and they didn’t know whose cat he was. These neighbors aren’t part of the HOA homeowners association, so they aren’t listed in the book, and they aren’t on NextDoor, the community website.
Charlie is skinny, dirty and scared. But he’s home!
We are all so thrilled, especially my dad!
"If you ever find yourself in need of lost pet search and rescue, I wholeheartedly recommend Kim Freeman, the Lost Cat Finder."
Here’s my dad with Charlie right after he was found.
My mom’s last text said “Thank you for being more stubborn than your dad! Your dad is so happy.”
I know my dad thought the leash had strangled him, and he blamed me for putting him on the leash. I’ve been told in these lost pet cases, the owner is always looking for someone to blame. I did worry about him being caught up on the leash, but he’s smart and got it off.
Now that he’s home, I read your precautious pages and emailed them to my parents which no response yet.
I’m going to talk to them about a GPS tracking collar. Which one do you recommend?
Again, thank you, thank you, thank you! I appreciate your insights, methods, kindness and encouragement during this whole ordeal!
I get to see him tonight when I get back to Dallas! You’re the best!"
Jessica in Dallas, Texas
>>> So despite the grief avoidance, assumptions and neighbors with no social media, another lost cat is home… thanks to one girl’s perseverance, resourcefulness and some maps and strategy coaching from me,
Kim Freeman, Lost Cat Recovery
