Help, I Lost My Pet! Here Are the Top 5 Actions You Can Take to Bring Them Home Safe.

Over the years, our family has experienced the despair of a beloved pet going missing, and thankfully, the joy of finding them safe and sound within days. That is, until Greystripe, our very mischievous, grey-striped tabby/Bengal cat.

We adopted Greystripe and his sister, Bluestar, in 2022, when they were one year old. Their original owner was threatening to dump them in the forest preserve. We could not let that happen and offered to take them. Our son was a big fan of the Warrior Cats book series; he named them Greystripe and Bluestar, after two of his favorite cat characters. From the moment these mini mountain lions came into our home, they were bonded with our son.

Unfortunately, when we let our dogs out, Greystripe often zipped outside, too. Despite our best attempts, he would always find a way to get past us. He went missing September 15, 2025. Neighbors texted us about possible sightings through October. After that, we didn't hear a thing. Every morning, I'd check my email for possible cat matches from Petco Love Lost, a free online service to search a database of found pets. It was heartbreaking to see how many cats were lost and found, and that was just the grey tabbies. Our 12-year-old son was devastated. Months passed, and we could only hope that another family had taken him in. We never gave up hope that we would see him again.

On August 18, 2026, I was feeling pretty down. I had foot surgery just three days before and was starting 4-6 weeks of recovery at my parents' house. (We didn't want to risk our three dogs – particularly our large Pit Bull who lacks body awareness - stepping on my foot by accident.) While the surgery had gone well, and the pain was manageable, I am a Border Collie by nature and was not happy to be on crate rest.

That morning, I got the call from my husband. Greystripe had been found, six miles away! Suddenly, the world was a brighter, happier place. I felt the burden of not knowing what happened to him fall away, like taking off a heavy winter coat to reveal a gentle summer breeze.

A kind couple who loves cats had first spotted him in their backyard over the winter, when there was still snow on the ground. They put food out for him. He began to come by twice a day, to eat breakfast and dinner at 7am and 7pm on the dot. Sometimes, he would hang out on their patio and curl up in a chair. They had no idea where he went at night.

After months of building trust, they were finally able to catch him and bring him to their vet to scan for a microchip. He did have one and the microchip company, HomeAgain, gave the vet staff our names and contact information. They quickly learned that Greystripe had a family, and we had been missing him for almost a year! The vet staff contacted us immediately, and my husband went to pick him up. Now he is my recovery buddy at my parents' house and is the best medicine I could ever hope for.

Of course, I'm spoiling him rotten with plenty of Farm To Pet treats and toys. The Beef Crumbles is his favorite treat, and the Chicken Crumbles is a close second. To keep him exercised and content to stay indoors, I play with him daily with his new toys, a trio of Catnip Mice and Catnip Rattle Balls. He loves them and gets so silly! My mom appreciates the Cat Scratcher Box with extra scratcher pads as a much better alternative to her living room couches and chairs. And the Fish Lick Mat is adorable! I spread wet cat food on the lick mat, then freeze it overnight, and give it to Greystripe the next day. This keeps him busy and out of trouble.

We are incredibly grateful to the finders, for their patience and dedication. We also thank Cobb & Co. Veterinary Clinic for scanning his microchip and helping to reunite us. While the microchip was key to Greystripe coming home to us, there are many things you can do to increase the chances of finding your lost pet.

The best lost pet advice I ever received was from John Keane, aka Sherlock Bones, a pioneering pet detective. At the time, I was a foster parent with the New Orleans German Shepherd Rescue. My newly adopted foster German Shepherd had escaped when her adoptive mom opened the front door to let in a friend to meet her. This was before social media and smart phones. Someone recommended I call Sherlock Bones. He kindly offered his services for free since we were a nonprofit dog rescue group.

He told me that we needed to create an eye-catching flyer, with a clear, full-body photo of the missing dog. People always include the dog's name, age and where they were last seen, but make sure it's in a font large enough for someone to see from their car if they're passing by your flyer on a telephone pole. Remember the 5-5-55 rule; use five words in bold print to describe your pet so someone can see it in the five seconds that they're stopped at an intersection, or flying past at 55 miles per hour.

Most important, at the very top, in large capital letters, it should say, "Cash Reward," and note the amount of money you're willing to pay if your pet is found. Sherlock Bones said that way, you don't just have animal lovers looking for your pet. Everyone in the neighborhood will be looking!

Once you have a flyer, put them in protective plastic covers to handle the weather, and post them around the neighborhood on electrical poles. For Greystripe, I made sure I stapled them to poles closest to school bus stops, to ensure as many eyes as possible saw them. If I saw someone while I was out posting the flyers, I introduced myself, gave them a flyer, and asked them to help keep an eye out for Greystripe. Kitties are notoriously difficult to find. They can fit in the smallest places, and will generally hide when afraid. I mentioned to the people I met to look in their garages, under porches and sheds, and in window wells.

Over the course of several days, my son and I went door to door to talk to people and hand out flyers. One of the silver linings of losing a pet is learning how many kind people live in your neighborhood. Everyone we came across showed empathy and took a flyer, promising to keep an eye out for Greystripe.

That week, I received numerous calls and texts from people who had possible sightings of Greystripe. We were offering a $300 cash reward on the flyer. Some of them mentioned it and said they wouldn't want the reward if it turned out to be Greystripe. They just wanted to help him get home safely. I truly believe a lot of people were willing to help because they met me and my son. They saw the human family behind all those lost pet posters around the neighborhood. They saw our sadness that he was missing, and our determination to do everything possible to get him back.

One of the best things about social media is how quickly we can share information about a missing pet. Time is of the essence, so this is invaluable. Be sure to post photos of your pet – one full body, one close up of face, and any unusual markings or colors – along with their name, age, sex, any medical conditions, and how you can be reached. Post in local pet groups to get the word out to fellow animal lovers. Unbeknownst to us, Greystripe's finders posted photos of him in their backyard in July in a local cat group on Facebook, wondering if he belonged to anybody.

We're one of those rare families that still gets the print newspaper delivered every day. (Admittedly, it's so our youngest Border Collie can retrieve it.) I save the Daily Herald paper and bring an armful to our local animal shelter, Anderson Humane, every two weeks. When Greystripe was missing, it gave me an opportunity to hand more lost posters to the shelter staff, inquire if any kitties matched him, and let them know how we could be reached if a lookalike cat was brought in.

Despite all the possible dangers facing Greystripe, from cars to coyotes, I never gave up hope that we would one day find him. It was just a matter of when and how. That positive thinking will keep you going on days when the search seems endless. Lean on friends and family during those tough moments. It's always ok to ask for help.

Do you have a lost pet reunion story? Once I shared with friends that Greystripe was home, I was astounded to hear stories where a pet had been reunited many years after going missing. Please share any tips you used to find your pet. You could help someone and their dog or cat find each other.