Milwaukee, WI area resident Lori Pucylowski searched diligently after her cat Shadow went missing more than two years ago, in October of 2011.
“We knocked on doors, we asked people if we could look under their bushes, we purchased some live traps, then we purchased some night vision cameras,” Shadow’s petmom told channel 58 news.
Ms. Pucylowski posted 5,000 fliers and maintained daily contact with the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) shelter.
The night vision cameras spotted Shadow, but he was never trapped and he dropped out of sight completely. As many of us know firsthand or anecdotally, even a loving, bonded cat may become skittish, frightened and aloof when he or she ends up outside, and it can be very difficult to get them back home, even if they remain close by.
Ms. Pucylowski recently decided it was time to adopt again, with Shadow gone for such a long time, and with her hopes of finding him diminished.
When looking at photos of available MADACC cats, she found one who bore a remarkable resemblance to Shadow and had come in as a stray. She spoke with shelter staff, describing her long lost cat’s habits and markings once more, and her hopes rose.
She went to the shelter to meet the cat, and was reunited with her beloved Shadow.
“He just snuggled his face in my neck and [the shelter staffer] started to cry and said, ‘He’s yours,'” Ms. Pucylowski said.
MADACC wrote about the reunion at Facebook, saying: “Imagine losing your pet and being reunited after 2 years. It happened and Shadow (Mario while at MADACC) is back home and once again enjoying the comforts of a warm home and loving family. Thank you to his foster mom Brenda for taking great care of him until this great reunion unfolded.”
Shadow is now microchipped and licensed, and he is back home again.
