Willow the cat found across nation after 5 years
By lynusfretz
Willow, a calico feline who went missing five years ago, has been discovered on the roads of Manhattan. What she did in that time, and just how she got more than 1,600 miles from him, we can’t know. But she will soon be rejoined with her household. Article source: Willow the cat makes incredible journey from Colorado to Manhattan
Lost due to reconstruction
Colorado owner Jamie Squires explained that the cat went missing in 2006 during a home renovation. The door was left open by a contractor. The household moved 10 miles since then. They went to Denver from Broomfield. The family kept the information up to date with the company that kept track of Willow. They put a microchip under her skin when she was born.
Every person surprised
When Animal car & Control in New York called Chris and Jamie Squires saying Willow was found and taken to a shelter on East 20th street on Wednesday, which left them “shocked and astounded,” they said. “When we first heard the voice mail, we couldn’t believe it,” Squires said.
Handling your pet
Julie Bank explained that she found the Squires with Willow’s microchip. Financial institution is the AC&C Executive Director. “This miracle story underscores the importance of having some sort of identification on your pet and the effectiveness of a microchip,” said Banks.
Assumed she was eaten
“To be honest, there are tons of coyotes around here, and owls,” Squires said. “She was just a little thing, five and a half pounds. We put out the `Lost Cat’ posters and the Craigslist thing, but we actually thought she’d been eaten by coyotes.”
What the children think
There are three children in the Squires family. They are 3, 10 and 17. The older children were not surprised. They remembered when Willow was lost. The youngest was given a picture of the kitty. The child said, “She’s a pretty cat.”
“The kids can’t wait to see her,” Squires said. “And we still have her little Christmas stocking.”
Concern about the pet
The Squires family had concerns. They wondered if the kitty would be changed. “She was a really cool cat, really sweet. … I don’t know what kind of life she’s had, so I don’t know what her personality will be like.”
Now, Willow is seven pounds. The AC&C believes she wasn’t on the roads for the last five years without humans since she had a friendly disposition. But unless Willow learns to talk, it will remain only speculation.
Getting the kitty back
Health certificates and transportation for the cat need to be in order before the Colorado trip could be made. It is something the Squires and AC&C are both working on. Willow could get home in just the next two weeks.
Articles cited
New York Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/09/14/2011-09-14_willow_the_cat_goes_missing_in_colorado_turns_up_in_manhattan_five_years_later.html?r=news/national
Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/14/willow-missing-cat-nyc_n_963304.html?ir=Weird News
Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2037609/Missing-cat-5-years-2k-miles-away-Willow-travels-Colorado-New-York.html
