Cat from Philadelphia, PA lost in Athens, Georgia

Question
Took cats out of state for holiday.  Cats got comfortable at sister's house, but one got out window and has been gone since Thursday.  Indoor cat.  He has gotten out at home, but comes right back in.  Twice before at home he spent night outside my house only because I didn't know he got out.  In morning when he saw he me he meowed loudly for me to get him.   Now, he is in another state.  Does not "answer".  Would he stay in her very large yard or wander?  What can be done to find him?  Should I pay a "cat profiler" for help?  We put notice on craigslist, local paper, signs are up offering reward, email sent to everyone in neighborhood, left my shirt on porch, put a trap out with food.  If he left a house he was never in before, would he return there?  He was thee for 2 days before leaving.  Cat from Philadelphia.  Lost in Georgia.
I feel really bad I left him there.  My sister is looking.

Answer
Hi Michael,

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation.  Many times, indoor cats go into hiding in a relatively immediate area when they escape outdoors, so it's possible he's still hiding in the yard.  However, it's common for cats miles away from home to try to make their way back to their home base.  Cats have a homing instinct.  Their brains act as a compass to guide them back home, even over miles.  In some cases, cats have made it back home over hundreds of miles.

For this reason, I would notify shelters in your sister's area and for miles around.  This may be a good reason to hire a pet detective.  They will generally provide you with mailing labels to all the shelters for quite a distance in case the cat makes his way away from the area he was initially lost from.  I recommend Sherlock Bones (www.sherlockbones.com).  And although it would be some time before he made his way back to Philadelphia, you may want to put in a lost notice at shelters in that area, too.  Be sure they keep him on the current "lost" list for as long as he is missing.  Some cats are reunited with their owners years and years after they are separated.

Finally, I would recommend to have your other cat microchipped.  This is especially important for those who travel.  A microchip the size of a grain of rice is injected under the skin between the shoulders.  It's done during an office visit and feels similar to a vaccination.  The microchip is read with a scanner that animal shelters and most veterinary offices carry.  The microchip carries a serial number that is registered with a registry, which the vet or shelter will contact when the chip is detected.  Your contact information is maintained by the registry.  Most chips cost around $35-$60, and some of them include lifetime registration.  Other companies require you to pay a yearly fee.

Best of luck!

Jessica