Check the house again
- Close every exterior door before searching.
- Open closets, cabinets, laundry machines, and rooms that seemed inaccessible.
- Look inside box springs and reclining furniture before moving them.
- Check the garage, attic, basement, and any opening into a wall or utility space.
Search like a cat
Get low. Use a bright flashlight in daylight as well as after dark. Look beneath decks, cars, shrubs, stairs, tarps, sheds, and stored materials. Use the flashlight to see all the way into each hiding place. Do not assume an empty entrance means the space is empty.
Ask for access, not a quick look
A neighbor may call your cat's name, hear nothing, and report that the yard is clear. Ask permission to conduct the search yourself. Have garages and sheds opened while you are there, then check behind their contents.
Make the escape point quiet
After active searching, spend some time sitting nearby without a crowd. Speak in your usual indoor voice. If food is safe to leave briefly, point a motion camera at it so you can learn whether your cat returns when the area is still.
If you confirm a visit
Do not rush toward the cat. Keep the food and camera in one predictable place. If the cat will not approach, ask a shelter, rescue, or experienced lost-pet volunteer about a monitored humane trap.