How persistence and collective will brought Stormy home
It started as a text message from an unknown number. “Hi. I saw a cat yesterday that might fit Stormy’s description.” My heart skipped a beat. “There was a collar and a red hanging tag.”
I replied immediately. It turned out the text was from a couple I had met who live on Valentine Road, up on Pleasant Ridge. I might have been skeptical, given how far that is from my home in La Conner, if I hadn’t talked to a neighbor on my street whose own cat had gone missing and had been found on Pleasant Ridge three weeks later. Stormy had been missing since March 31.
When we talked, I was pretty sure the cat they saw was Stormy. They graciously agreed to let me put out a live trap and even helped me set it up. I put his favorite dry and wet food in, laid one of my recently worn shirts on it, which would have my scent, and waited. It was hard not to check in, but I knew they would call me if anything happened. Twenty-four hours passed.
Silence.
Two agonizing days after that text message, on Saturday, April 25, a friend offered to walk Valentine Road with me and help me hang more posters. We got up early and walked the road, shaking a container of treats and talking loud enough that if he was around, he could hear me.
We stopped by and checked the trap — the food was gone. Significantly, to me, the dry food was completely gone. That’s Stormy’s favorite. The trap had not tripped, though, because the bowls were too close to the plate that would trip it, so we refilled the bowls and reset the trap. We finished our walk and set about putting up more posters in the vicinity.
As we circled back after hanging posters I saw a guy working to remove some debris from the end of his driveway. He was next door to the house where I set the trap, so I stopped and got out to show him a flyer with a picture of Stormy.
He took one look and casually said “Oh yeah, he’s been hanging around my barbecue for the past couple of days.” To say I was excited was an understatement. I asked if he was sure. “Yes, yes, that’s him. He looks interested but wouldn’t let me pet him.” I started to give him some treats to lure Stormy then he said, “You can go up there and look.”
We drove up the long driveway through dense woods and parked by the barbecue he had mentioned. For about 10 minutes we called and rattled treats. Then we waited.
In moments, my friend Eve spotted a little gray tabby coming out from a barn and walking toward the driveway. He sat down and howled. I knew immediately it was Stormy. Eve got in the car to wait so nothing would distract him. He talked and I talked, but he was scared and skittish. It took a lot of coaxing and a lot of treats to lure him close enough for me to get him. I touched him once and he leapt away. I stayed put and kept at it.
Some 45 minutes later I had Stormy in my arms and we headed home. He was skinny but otherwise uninjured. Once I brought him into the house he was all purrs and cuddles. He hasn’t left my side. And I’m not letting him out of my sight for the time being. As my friend said, I found him on the Rainbow bridge on a stormy night in December 2023, and we were reunited on Valentine Road. What could be sweeter?
Nancy K. Crowell is the photo editor for La Conner Community News.
Photo of Nancy with Stormy courtesy of Eve Boe.
How to look for a lost cat
I followed the advice of professional pet rescuers in my search for Stormy. Here’s what they said.
First, understand that only 3% of lost cats are killed by predators, so don’t let people scare you into thinking your pet has been killed by a coyote or owl. Unless there’s proof, assume the cat is alive.
Some 75% to 85% of lost cats are found, usually within 21 days.
Most cats are within five to seven houses of home and often are hiding. If they are in hiding, they will be quiet. Despite what seems logical, if a cat is in hiding it is unlikely to come to you if you call its name.
Due to the fear factor, pros say it’s much more effective to simply walk around your neighborhood talking in your normal voice because calling your pet’s name might make them feel like they are targeted and cause them to hunker down and hide more. Dusk and dawn are good times to look because that’s when cats tend to be out.
Post signs everywhere. Knock on doors and hand out flyers. Pros say people who see your pet may not call even if they see a sign. It’s much better to talk to people in person.
Ask people to let you look in outbuildings or other hiding places. Post on all social media lost pet communities.
Do not give up.
That last point is really important. I refused to quit looking for Stormy, and this entire town helped me. I was excessively vocal about his loss. I posted signs everywhere. I knocked on dozens of doors. I even wore a sign on my back during the April 11 tulip parade in La Conner. I reposted to lost pets social media groups routinely. I walked the streets of town late at night and early in the morning.
So many people who don’t know me have let me know on social media that they were looking everywhere. I got many, many tips although only one was Stormy. People were gracious and sympathetic when I knocked on their doors. And honestly, I felt the support. I can’t thank everyone enough for their encouragement.
