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Missing Cat Reunited With Owner After 8 Years

Lisa Selvaggio
by Lisa Selvaggio
Published:  August 29th, 2023

No pet parent wants to lose their furry best friend, especially since many lost dogs and cats never find their way back home. But rest assured that there are also plenty of lost pets who are found and reunited with the people they love. This story is one example. Even though it took a whopping eight years, a man was finally reunited with his missing cat.

Lucky Business/Shutterstock

An Amazing Reunion


Back in December 2010, Johnny Goodman got a kitty named Pierre. Then, in 2015, while Pierre was staying with a family friend, he went missing.  


Although he searched for Pierre, Johnny lost hope after months passed without a sign of him, and he assumed that he’d never see him again. So, you can imagine his shock when he received a phone call in August 2023 and learned that his cat had been found after eight years.


How was Pierre saved? A good Samaritan took him to the Tacoma Humane Society. Because he’d been surviving on his own for so long, he had a few health concerns. The staff discovered that he was overheated and lethargic, and his fur was so matted that it needed to be shaved.


The Tacoma Humane Society also scanned Pierre to see if he had a microchip, and sure enough, he did. With the information they got from the microchip, they were able to contact Johnny and let him know that Pierre was safe.


Johnny hopes that his cat remembers him, even though he got the sense that Pierre wasn’t sure about him when they met again after so many years. As they spend more time together, they’ll get to know each other once more and surely become as close as they used to be.  


Here’s a video of Johnny and Pierre:

There Are Things You Can Do If Your Pet Goes Missing


If you lose a cat or dog, take action right away. In addition to searching for your companion, post about them on social media and forums so people can help you look for them. Put up flyers in the area to let others in your community know that your pet is missing. Also, contact animal shelters, rescues, and veterinarians in your area to find out if anyone has taken your pet there after finding them.  


Pierre has a place to call home again, and Johnny is grateful to have his cat back. He plans on taking good care of Pierre and his other kitty, Nemo, by making sure they’re comfortable and happy.


This heartwarming story is proof that, even when it seems hopeless, wonderful things can happen and lost pets can find their way back to their families.  

WOW
Lisa Selvaggio
Lisa Selvaggio

Lisa Selvaggio is a freelance writer and editor, and our resident cats-pert, with certifications in pet nutrition and pet first aid. She enjoys producing content that helps people understand animals better so they can give their pets a safe and happy home.

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Tips and Tricks for Home Adjustments for Senior Dogs
Tips and Tricks for Home Adjustments for Senior Dogs
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As dogs near their golden years, different health issues tend to pop up – sometimes completely out of the blue, and sometimes a little less unexpectedly. One of the more common health problems dogs experience as they age that can be predicted fairly easily and as such prevented on time are joint issues. Providing proper support for your dog while they are still young and agile can dramatically improve their quality of life later on, so it pays to start thinking ahead when it comes to joint health, especially if your pet is in a high-risk group for developing this type of problem (large breed dogs, working breeds, highly active dogs, etc). Here’s what you need to know to make sure your pet doesn’t suffer from joint pain in their senior years.5 Crucial Steps to Prevent Joint Pain in DogsWhile some factors contributing to joint pain are beyond our control, there are different proactive steps we can take to support our pet's joint health:#1 Maintain a Healthy WeightJust as in humans, obesity in dogs exacerbates joint strain and can accelerate the onset of joint problems. A balanced diet will go a long way in helping your pet maintain a healthy weight, so strive to ensure they are getting only quality food that is based mostly on protein and doesn’t contain unhealthy fats and too many fillers such as soy or corn.#2 Provide Regular ExerciseModerate, low-impact exercise helps keep joints limber and muscles strong. However, be mindful of your dog's limitations, as pushing them too far can end up being counterproductive. Activities like swimming and walks are excellent choices, just make sure to tailor the pace to your pet’s capabilities.#3 Quality Supplementation Providing a diet rich in essential nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin, supports joint health. However, even when feeding a good quality kibble, it’s not always feasible to rely on your pet’s diet alone to be enough to provide all of these joint-nurturing ingredients in the right ratio. This is where dog joint supplements come in to enrich your pet’s diet with specific nutrients. 

Should I Bathe My Dog During Winter?

Should your pet forego bubbly baths when the temperatures drop or should you bathe your pooch regularly all year long? There’s no universal answer to this question as situations can be wildly different from one pet or the other – how harsh is the climate you live in, would you bathe your pooch in a well-heated bathroom or not, how thick is their coat, and so on. All of these factors will influence the answer you’re given! To find out what’s the verdict for your own pooch when it comes to winter bathing, read on.Should I Bathe My Dog During Winter?The fact that it’s cold outside doesn’t have to mean your four-legged bestie has to smell funky for weeks on end – at least not in most cases. You can bathe your dog in the winter as long as you follow some ground rules that are meant to ensure your dog's well-being. Here’s what you need to know:#1 Don’t Do It Too OftenDogs don't need bathing as frequently as we do (duh), so if your dog isn't visibly dirty or smelly, you should be able to extend the time between baths to a couple of weeks. Overbathing can strip essential oils from your dog's skin, which can lead to dryness and irritation, so too much bathing isn’t good either. You can probably get through the winter with just one or two baths.#2 Keep The Water ToastyEnsure that the water you use for the bath is warm, not hot. Hot water can dry out your dog’s skin, so don’t be tempted to overly increase the water temperature just because the weather is cold outside. Of course, you should also make sure the bathing area is warm, and have towels ready to dry your dog quickly.#3 Fast Drying Is Key 

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