A cat owner’s worst nightmare is for their feline friend to go missing and to not know where they are.

It’s a cliche, but cats are incredibly curious animals and they will investigate out-buildings, sheds, garages, coal bunkers and other people’s homes without a moment’s thought to finding their way back out again.

How long can a cat survive if it’s been locked in a shed or garage? Lack of water is the main concern because after a couple of days the cat will start to dehydrate and after three of four days their kidneys will start to malfunction.

Unless the cat can find a water source, even rainwater dripping down from a leaky roof or condensation from a window, they won’t survive for more than a few days.

A healthy cat can survive without food for a surprisingly long period of time - for as much as two or three weeks. But they will develop potentially irreversible health issues after a few days, not least liver and digestive problems and they will need to be nursed back to health under the guidance of a vet.

We were incredibly sad last week when we weren’t able to save the life of a little grey cat, pictured.

He was brought to us by a lady who had found him in her garage in Peel and by the time he arrived he was motionless and unresponsive. He passed away in the arms of one of our cattery team and so at least he was warm and loved in his final moments.

The lady who brought him to us thinks he must have been in her garage for several days.

He was very dehydrated and skinny and he may have ventured into the garage in search of food or shelter - we’ll never know. We haven’t been able to trace his owner despite using social media channels, including the ManxSPCA’s own ’lost and found pets’ Facebook page. If you recognise this little cat, please contact us.

Please let this cat’s untimely death serve as a warning that you must check your sheds and garages, and any other out-buildings that are in part-time use, on a regular basis. And listen out for a cat meowing or scratching.

As an owner, you can also play your part. Don’t assume that your cat has wandered into someone else’s house and is being fed, although this does happen all too frequently and neighbours need to know that they shouldn’t feed other people’s cats.

Time is of the essence, and you need to find your cat as soon as possible. Check with all your neighbours, use social media (or get someone to do this for you) and let your vet and local pet shop know that your cat is missing.

But don’t wait for your cat to go missing before you take preventative measures. Regularly practice using a calling sound for your cat - it could be the way you ’sing’ their name, or the phrase you use when you meet them.

Does your cat respond to the sound of a box of cat biscuits being rattled, or a tin of food being tapped with a spoon?

By being able to ’talk’ to your cat in this way they will learn recognise your voice or your presence and, hopefully, communicate back to you that they’re trapped when you’re out searching for them.

If you discover someone else’s cat and let it out of an out-building, in most cases it will simply run away and find its own way home.

But if the cat has health issues then you need to take it straight to a vet, who will give it emergency treatment and try to locate the owner.

Which is why having your pets microchipped is so important; and keeping your details up-to-date with the chip company is just as essential.

The ManxSPCA offers a microchipping service - you just need to call us to make an appointment.

If you’ve been meaning to do this and just never get round to it, make it number one on your list of New Year resolutions.