Hi everyone! I’m hoping for some advice on how to bring my missing indoor cat back home. He went missing on October 22, and I last spotted him about 300 meters from home. Unfortunately, he ran off when I tried to approach him.
Since then, I’ve tried various tricks to lure him back. I put out his litter, favorite blankets, and some unwashed clothes near the entrance to my building. I even set up his favorite chair by the door, with his favorite wet food on top, hoping he’d feel comfortable coming closer. I parked my car in front of the door and stayed there watching for hours. At one point, he actually appeared and hid behind the chair, but my sister tried to approach him, and he got spooked and ran off. I saw him hiding under a nearby car afterward, but he wouldn’t come out and ended up taking off again.
I’m worried he might associate the entrance area with danger now and may not come back. He’s been spotted multiple times in the same area about 300 meters away, but every time I search there, he’s nowhere to be found.
Last night, I set a humane trap at the entrance door with a can of tuna and his favorite blanket covering the trap. I also put some litter from his box outside of it to spread his scent. However, he hasn’t gone inside the trap, and no other animals have either. I’m wondering if anyone has advice on how to make the trap more inviting? Should I keep the can of tuna in there, even though he’s never had tuna before, or should I put his favorite wet food instead?
Would it be a better idea to move the trap to the area where he’s been spotted, or should I keep it at the entrance since he’s already come there once and probably smelled his litter box?
Any advice on how to encourage him to enter the trap or lure him back would be incredibly helpful. Thank you!