How To Find A Lost Kitten In Your House

Bringing home a new kitten can be an exciting experience, but her unfamiliar new home may seem somewhat scary to her at first. A frightened kitten may hide in your furniture or appliances to get away from it all or she might even become trapped inside your walls where you can't find your new cat in the house. With some detective work and a little food, you'll likely be able to find your lost kitten, wherever she's hiding in your home.

Kittens love to hide in small, dark spots. Check under your bed, under bedspreads and even inside the box spring itself; kitties can tear through the fabric under the box spring with their claws to get inside. Look behind furniture and inside recliners and convertible sofas, where a kitten might climb inside. Don't open or close any furniture pieces because the kitten could be hurt if she's inside.

Move around the items on your bookshelves, where a kitten might tuck herself behind a book. Carefully open all drawers and cabinets to be sure she didn't climb into one and get trapped inside.

Appliances give off heat while they are running, making them appealing hiding spots for kittens because they feel warm just like their mother. Pull forward your refrigerator and inspect the back of it to make sure the kitten isn't tucked somewhere inside.

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Check both behind and inside the washer and dryer for the kitten. Add clothing one piece at a time to the washer as some kittens like to hide in laundry baskets. Take a look inside the dishwasher to see if your new kitten found her way inside it. Finally, search behind your electronic devices as well, such as behind your TV.

If you still can't find your new cat in the house, she may have crawled inside the walls or pipes. A curious kitten might climb inside a small hole in your drywall or an open duct to your HVAC system, becoming trapped inside. Go into your attic, garage, and basement, checking all spaces, including the rafters, in these areas. Look for open pipes that the kitty could have climbed inside, especially within bathroom and kitchen cabinets.

Tap your walls and listen for any signs of meowing or movement. If you hear your kitten meowing from inside your walls, pinpoint her location and slowly cut a small hole in the drywall with a jigsaw to help get her out.

Tempting your kitten with food is another alternative if you can't find your new cat in the house. Run the can opener or open a bag of treats, the sounds of which may trigger her to emerge from her hiding spot, especially because a young kitten may not yet respond to her name.

Take a really pungent food, such as a can of tuna or some freshly chopped cooked chicken, and place it near where you last saw her. The scent just might tempt her out of hiding to grab a bite. Young kittens might respond most favorably to the scent of a bowl of cat food mixed with a little kitten milk replacement formula, especially if they were weaned recently.