Surviving winter months:
I find it especially hard when the weather is bad, and Big Vic, Jenny Mae and Brick remain at large. We are hitting a real cold snap at the moment and this can leave any animal vulnerable. Food sources lessen, shelter can be wet or icy, water iced over, all manner of reasons make it difficult during this time.
However, there are things as humans that we can do to help. Even the smallest of action can make the biggest difference. This list suggests a few things that can be done when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
If you see a cat hanging around that you haven't seen before, it may be that you can take the cat to a vets to be scanned for a chip. Or maybe someone you know has a scanner. Now i fully understand this is easier said than done, been there, done it, got the t-shirt. There are local organisations that can offer assistance with trapping an animal, and other such practical support.
Mags, January 2026
Things you can do if your pet goes missing:
Social media has been at the forefront of my campaign for our missing cats. Due to health I'm not always able to get out and about safely, but with social media I literally have the world at my finger tips. I use Facebook and the app Next door, but there are so many different platforms now to spread word. I make eye catching posters with good, clear photos of our cats on. A brief description and means of contact. It is entirely up to you how much contact information you wish to include, there are no right or wrongs. Initially I put up their posters daily on social media, now I put them online at weekends, this is when a lot more people may be online. I share their posters to different groups, and tag any people in them that I know will keep an eye out. The key is to not bombard people too much, as people then may start to lose interest in your posts, or get annoyed by them.
Using social media has been a really good in the search for our missing cats, and during this time a huge supporting community has rallied round. We cannot express our gratitude enough.
I understand also that not everyone is tech savvy, in these situations maybe you have a relative or friend who can help you, or reach out to someone like us. The same with posters and flyers, I can easily create these for you if you needed any help. Posters can also be printed off and delivered door to door, or placed in areas for people to see. Please be mindful how and where you attach them though.
Mags, January 2026
Up to date chip details:
Chip details all need to be kept up to date. If you are new to having pets chipped, make sure that the chip is then registered afterwards. I've known situations where the animal has a chip, but then not registered at all. I have had instances many moons ago, where vets chipping your pet would then register this chip to you and your pet. Good to go. But these days once your pet has been chipped, it is usually then up to you to register this information. This information does not always get relayed, but it is something to be mindful of from the get go.
I always make sure address is updated and phone number, and other changes as needed. I also register ours with the database as missing. More information will be provided about this, and options available, but it is vital that you keep on top of your pets chip details.
When ours went missing, I contacted many local vets, creating a good rapport, and I provided them with our missing posters, descriptions and full chip numbers with our contact details. All the vets I encountered keep a missing pet file, and logged all this information. They were all so helpful. It is also important to let them know if a missing pet has since been found.
Mags, January 2026
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