Search close to home
Most indoor cats who escape don’t travel far. They’re often found hiding under decks or porches, or in shrubs at their home or nearby homes.
Set out a small amount of food and water very near your home. It also helps to put your cat’s litter box outside; the familiar smell may draw them back. Ask your neighbors to keep an eye out.
Call Animal Control
Call Animal Control in the county where the pet was lost to file a report. Your pet may already have been picked up and brought to Animal Control.
Stafford Animal Control: 540-658-7387
After hours, call the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line, 540-658-4400, then follow up directly with Animal Control the next morning.
File a lost report with us
We’re rarely able to take in strays because we usually operate at capacity. But call us at 540-657-7387 to file a lost animal report and see if we have a found report that matches, or fill out the form online.
Post on Facebook
Visit and follow our Facebook page, then post a photo of the pet, a description of the last location seen, and your phone number or email. We’ll share it with our audience of 10,000+ in the Stafford community. Many pets ARE reunited this way!
Make flyers
Post flyers around your neighborhood and where your cat was last seen. Include a good picture, your cat’s temperament, and your contact information.
Keep following up
- Call or visit Animal Control every day to make sure they haven’t received your cat. If possible, visit in person to look through their stray cats and give them a copy of your lost cat poster.
- Place a free lost/found pet ad in the Free Lance-Star. Call 540-374-5001; they take free ad requests only by phone. The ad runs 3 days in the paper and 1 day online.
- Search Facebook for the many pages dedicated to reuniting lost and found pets, and post your lost cat there. Look for matching reports while you’re there, too.
- Use other pet-finding websites such as pets911.com, petamberalert.com, helpinglostpets.com, and many others.
- Post an ad on Craigslist with a good picture of the cat and the general location.
Key phone numbers
- Stafford Animal Control: 540-658-7387
- After hours (Sheriff non-emergency): 540-658-4400
- Stafford SPCA: 540-657-7387
- Free Lance-Star (free lost/found ad): 540-374-5001