PawAlarm

Lost cat in New York City?Emergency help to bring your cat home fast.

Every hour counts – we get going right away and alert thousands of neighbors 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 neighbors 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 New York City

How PawAlarm helps in New York City

This circle is who sees the alert: people who live, walk and drive around the last-seen spot in New York City — 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.

≈ 3,500,000 neighbours within 6.2 mi
  • EbonyReunited

    Ebony

    Found after 3 months and 4 days

  • SalsaReunited

    Salsa

    Found after 3 months and 6 days

  • DotsReunited

    Dots

    Found after 3 months and 5 days

  • GingerReunited

    Ginger

    Found after 2 months and 1 week

  • BennyReunited

    Benny

    Found after 2 days and 21 hours

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Local help in New York City

These local services can help you search for a missing pet in New York City.

Animal control & found pets

24h emergency vets6

Animal shelters3

Local search groups3

National lost & found registries5

Sources:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

What your PawAlarm alert does in New York City

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 New York City

  1. 1

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

    Tip from locals

    Start with Hudson River Park, about 0.4 miles away, then Lily Pond, roughly 0.6 miles off, where a frightened cat can stay low in the cover.

  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.

    Tip from locals

    After dark, check the edges of Brooklyn Bridge Park, about 0.9 miles away, and the shoreline around Lily Pond, roughly 0.6 miles off, where eyes reflect under parked cars.

  3. 3

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

    Tip from locals

    Busy roads like the FDR and I 278 tend to box a scared cat in, so ask neighbors in Chinatown and the Financial District on your own side first.

  4. 4

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

    Tip from locals

    Share the photo in the nearest neighborhoods too: East Village, about 1.4 miles north-east, and West Village, roughly 1.4 miles north.

  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.

    Tip from locals

    There are 56 vet practices within about 3 miles, so report your cat to the nearest ones and to the microchip registry before you start a targeted alert.

Frequently asked questions

How does PawAlarm help if my cat goes missing in New York City?

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 mi of New York City, that's about 120,000 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 New York City?

Alerts in New York City start from $49. The price follows how far your alert reaches around the last-seen spot in New York City: 1 mi reaches about 120,000 people for $88, 1.8 mi reaches about 400,000 people for $300, and 3 mi reaches about 930,000 people for $790. You see the exact price before you pay, and there is no subscription.

Can I use PawAlarm in New York City 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 New York City – a one-off payment, no subscription.

Where is the nearest animal shelter to New York City?

For New York City, we list Humane Society of New York. Address: 306 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022. Phone: 212-752-4840. Call before you go and ask about animals brought in recently.

Where can I check for a lost pet in New York City right now?

Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) runs the city shelters. The Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island care centers are open daily and do lost-and-found checks every day; call (212) 788-4000 before you go. The Brooklyn care center is closed for renovation until 2027 and the new Bronx center also opens in 2027. ACC also has an online database you can search 24/7.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

I found a cat in New York City — who takes it in?

Found animals in New York City are handled by Animal Care Centers of NYC. Address: 326 East 110th Street, New York, NY 10029. Phone: 212-788-4000. You can also report the find for free on PawAlarm.

More questions about lost cats →

Pricing

Searching in New York City: 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 120,000 people within 1 mi of New York City – 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 $49one-time

New York City: ≈ 120,000 neighbours within 1 mi

  • Everything in Free
  • Your alert in front of thousands of neighbors 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 ~3,500,000 neighbours in New York City.

Start an alert