Lost Cat Redux

When I posted about a lost cat named Puddy, I did not expect an ending.

Puddy got away from his owner at the local vet's office. She panicked while being transported from the vet's office to the car in the vet's own parking lot. She bolted into the surrounding woods on December 4, 2008. Despite calling her name, and looking for days, she was gone. Vanished in the trees.


I know Puddy's favorite person in that family because he lives in the same town, and participated in a cartooning class of mine last year. When his Mom phoned to tell me Puddy was missing, and to keep my eyes open, I thought I would do my bit by posting a photo and passing along the word.

The family posted photos in town, as well as online.

Since Puddy ran into the woods, winter came down hard over the holiday season, with a series of harsh weather systems, beginning with a devastating ice storm. I can only imagine my friend's feelings of loss.

When his Mom phoned over the weekend, I couldn't believe what she said: "We found Puddy!"

She told me what had happened just last week: a woman had been to the vet's office, seen the "missing cat" photo that had been posted on the wall for five weeks, and phoned them. The woman told them that there was a cat who looked very much like Puddy that had taken up residence in her barn, and would they, possibly, like to drive over and see?

And, so, here is the ending that I didn't think would come: Puddy and her family were reunited. "If only she could talk," they told me. Puddy is very, very happy or be back. I called last night to for an update. She's a little dehydrated, I was told, but she's filling out fast.