It's been nearly a decade since my cat, Flynn, got spooked by a storm and took off, never coming home, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. The panic as we searched the neighborhood, the heartbreak of realizing that he was likely gone forever, whether he'd gotten even more lost or taken in by another family, and finally, the acceptance that came with moving into another house a year later and knowing that I probably would never see him again. It can be so devastating, but sometimes, lost pet stories like these do have a happy ending.
One of those stories is featured in the TikTok video below, and even though I may never reunite with my cat, it warms my heart to see that others are able to reunite with theirs.
On Thursday, August 22, @news2charleston shared the sweet story of a woman from Charleston, South Carolina who was able to reunite with her cat, Sam, after he went missing 11 years ago — OMG!
The woman, whose name is Jennifer Ravenel, lived on a farm where Sam escaped from all those years ago. And as soon as she walked in the room where he was being kept, she recognized him instantly and started to cry.
"Ravenel adopted Sam in 2011 after hearing a kitten near a pasture in the crook of a tree," explained the video. "The two were instantly connected."
They were besties, and Sam followed her everywhere she went, so it was a huge shock for him to be gone. But when he got scared by a dog that someone brought to the farm, he bolted.
But after Sam was reported as a stray and brought to the Charleston Animal Society, and since he was microchipped, he was reunited with his mom. How lucky are we to have this kind of technology to help keep our pets safe?
What to Do If You Lose a Pet
If you realize your pet is nowhere to be found, try as hard as you can not to panic — the faster you work to locate your pet, the better the chances are that you will find them.
The American Humane Society suggests starting by searching the neighborhood or area where they were last seen while calling their name and checking all the good hiding places, like under cars, where they might be. Go out again with a flashlight at night, when they may be more likely to show themselves. You can also try to lure them with an open can of food.
You'll also want to call and visit the local shelters regularly to see if anyone has turned in your cat, and expand your reach by using local Facebook groups and online neighborhood groups to spread the word.
And of course, ensure that all of your pets are microchipped, and that those chips are registered and kept updated with your current contact information. It could make the difference about whether they make it back home to you or not.
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