PawAlarm

Lost cat in Ottawa?Emergency help to bring your cat home fast.

Every hour counts – we get going right away and alert thousands of neighbours around the spot where your cat went missing. Every sighting comes straight to you.

Start an alert

How it works

Within 60 minutes, thousands of neighbours see your pet: we put your alert on Facebook and Instagram, right around the spot where it went missing.

Every sighting reaches you instantly – by email and in your personal dashboard.

Start your alert now

Start for free · live on in 60 min

4.8· 247 reviews1200+ pets back home
Map of PawAlarm's search radius around Ottawa

How PawAlarm helps in Ottawa

This circle is who sees the alert: people who live, walk and drive around the last-seen spot in Ottawa — not your friends list. A neighbour two streets over, or someone passing through from the next town, is the person most likely to notice your cat.

≈ 690,000 neighbours within 10 km
  • ZoeReunited

    Zoe

    Found after 3 days and 12 hours

  • CosmoReunited

    Cosmo

    Found after 2 days and 21 hours

  • MollyReunited

    Molly

    Found after 2 weeks and 4 days

  • TosiaReunited

    Tosia

    Found after 3 months and 2 weeks

  • NoraReunited

    Nora

    Found after 4 days and 4 hours

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Local help in Ottawa

These local services can help you search for a missing pet in Ottawa.

Lost-property / found animals

Animal shelters

Sources:[1][2][3][4]

What your PawAlarm alert does in Ottawa

The moment you start, we run your pet as a Facebook, Instagram & TikTok ad the whole neighbourhood sees — here is exactly what you get.

What you get

  • Free poster template (PDF)Print-ready PDF – ready to put up right away.Free
  • Personal dashboard – manage sightings & contact findersOne link, no password: every sighting, message and finder's phone number in one place.Free
  • Professionally optimised social-media campaignWe design, run & optimise the ads – no ad account needed.Professional
  • Private detective: shelters, vets & lost-pet registries alerted nearbyWe report your pet to shelters, vets, registries and Facebook groups nearby.Professional
Start an alert
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First steps if you lose your cat in Ottawa

  1. 1

    Search the immediate area very thoroughly first — a frightened cat usually hides silently within a few houses, not far away.

  2. 2

    Go out again after dark with a torch: cats move once it is quiet, and their eyes reflect the light under cars, sheds and hedges.

  3. 3

    Ask neighbours to open garages, sheds and cellars — cats slip inside unnoticed and get shut in.

  4. 4

    Ask neighbours to check enclosed spaces again and share a recent photo with the last-seen place and time.

  5. 5

    Report her to the shelter, nearby vets and the microchip registry, then start a targeted alert that reaches the whole neighbourhood at once.

Frequently asked questions

How does PawAlarm help if my cat goes missing in Ottawa?

PawAlarm turns your missing-pet report into a search alert on Facebook and Instagram. It is shown to the people who live and get around near the spot where your cat was last seen – within 1.5 km of Ottawa, that's about 51,000 people. The alert goes live within 60 minutes. Anyone who spots your cat reports the sighting on your search page, and you get it by email straight away.

My indoor cat escaped. Where should I look first?

Check your home and the area around the escape point carefully. Look under cover and ask the people next door to check inside sheds and garages. A frightened cat may stay hidden without answering your calls.

How to Find an Indoor Cat That Got Outside
How much does an alert cost in Ottawa?

Alerts in Ottawa start from $45. The price follows how far your alert reaches around the last-seen spot in Ottawa: 1.5 km reaches about 51,000 people for $72, 3 km reaches about 120,000 people for $302 and 5 km reaches about 260,000 people for $783. You see the exact price before you pay, and there is no subscription.

Can I use PawAlarm in Ottawa for free?

Yes. A printable search poster with a QR code, your own search page where finders report sightings, sightings straight to your inbox and a personal dashboard with search tips are all free. You only pay for reach: the alert on Facebook and Instagram around Ottawa – a one-off payment, no subscription.

Where is the nearest animal shelter to Ottawa?

For Ottawa, we list Ottawa Humane Society Municipal Animal Shelter. Address: 245 West Hunt Club Road, Ottawa, ON K2E 1A6. Phone: +1 613-725-3166 ext. 223. Call before you go and ask about animals brought in recently.

How long does Ottawa hold a stray pet before it can be rehomed?

The Ottawa Humane Society holds stray animals for the City of Ottawa for three full days, not counting the day they arrive. If your pet is missing, contact the shelter right away and keep checking, because some animals arrive days or weeks later.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

Do cats and dogs need to be registered in Ottawa, and what does it cost?

Ottawa requires every cat and dog to be registered with the City, renewed every year. The pet gets a numbered metal tag to wear. From January 1, 2026, the fee is $22 for a sterilized pet (or one under 6 months) and $42 for an unsterilized pet 6 months or older. The first replacement tag is free.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

I found a cat in Ottawa — who takes it in?

Found animals in Ottawa are handled by City of Ottawa — report a lost pet. Phone: 311. You can also report the find for free on PawAlarm.

More questions about lost cats →

Pricing

Searching in Ottawa: start for free or alert everyone nearby

The search poster and search page for your cat are free. With Professional, we show your alert to about 51,000 people within 1.5 km of Ottawa – on Facebook and Instagram, live in 60 minutes.

Free

Everything for searching on the ground

$0

  • Printable search poster with QR code
  • Your own search page where finders report sightings
  • Sightings straight to your inbox
  • Personal dashboard and search tips
Start for free
Recommended

Professional

Put the whole area on the lookout

from $45one-time

Ottawa: ≈ 51,000 neighbours within 1.5 km

  • Everything in Free
  • Your alert in front of thousands of neighbours on Facebook and Instagram
  • Live in 60 minutes – stop anytime
  • Private detective: we alert shelters, vets and Facebook groups nearby
Start an alert
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One-time payment – no subscription.

Helpful guides

A tabby cat with blue eyes looking out of the darkness

Lost Cat: The First 24 Hours

A calm, practical guide to the crucial first 24 hours after your cat has gone missing.

6 min read

A cat hiding under a parked car, one of the first places to search for a lost cat

How to Find a Lost Cat: A Step-by-Step Search Plan

The complete search plan for a lost cat, from a quiet night search close to home to scent, feeding stations, traps, posters, reporting and the weeks after.

9 min read

A cat sitting alert on a garden path — many missing cats are closer to home than you think

Cat Missing for 2 Days? What's Normal, What to Do, and When to Worry

What it means when your cat has been gone for days, how likely it is to come back on its own, and a day-by-day plan to bring it home faster.

7 min read

Close-up of a dog's face — a clear photo makes the best lost-pet poster

How to Make a Lost-Pet Poster That Actually Works

A poster that works needs one big photo, one huge word, and only the essentials. Here is exactly how to build and place it.

7 min read

A hand holding a phone with social media apps

How to Use Facebook and Nextdoor to Find a Lost Pet

How to post on Facebook and Nextdoor so your appeal actually reaches the right people — and where free organic posts run out of reach.

8 min read

Shown on to ~690,000 neighbours in Ottawa.

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