Lost cat’s family never gave up hope. Then came an emotional reunion 888 days later
A missing cat’s family never gave up hope of finding her — then came a joyful reunion 888 days later.
The owner, who had moved to North Carolina, traveled back to Colorado to snuggle with her beloved cat again, an animal shelter wrote Nov. 26 on Facebook.
“Rizzo’s mom didn’t waste a second — she hopped on a plane to Colorado, and this weekend, she and Rizzo were finally reunited,” the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, which has a presence in Colorado Springs, wrote in its post. “Rizzo was back in her mom’s arms, ready to head home to North Carolina.”
The heartwarming news came after Rizzo disappeared from her home in 2022, when her family was living on Fort Carson, a U.S. Army base south of Colorado Springs.
“Her family searched high and low for their beloved kitty, doing everything possible to bring her home,” the shelter wrote. “But no matter how hard they tried, no one could find her. Still, they never stopped looking for her. Even after the family was reassigned to North Carolina earlier this year, they didn’t give up. They kept checking our website, hoping against hope that maybe — just maybe — Rizzo would turn up.”
This month, the owner contacted the humane society to ask about a nervous, “sweet” cat who was picked up as a stray in the Fort Carson area. Shelter workers compared the cat’s characteristics to what it knew about Rizzo and set up a FaceTime meeting with the family, determining she was a match, the shelter wrote on social media and in an email to McClatchy News.
“We can’t even put into words how special that moment was,” the shelter wrote. “After 2 years, 5 months, and 4 days, Rizzo was found.”
That’s when the owner flew back from North Carolina, leading to the long-awaited reunion.
After the heartfelt moments, the owner allowed the shelter to share her family’s story to “offer hope to others who have lost a pet. She wanted to remind everyone that no matter how long it takes, don’t give up — even when it seems hopeless, even when it feels impossible, even if it takes 888 days,” the humane society wrote.
Several Facebook users celebrated the news, including some who said the reunion made them emotional.
The shelter in its post didn’t reveal where in North Carolina the family lives. McClatchy News is awaiting information from Rizzo’s owner.
This story was originally published November 27, 2024 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Lost cat’s family never gave up hope. Then came an emotional reunion 888 days later."
