Safely Home: Slowly Slowly Catchee Peanut

We live in Southeast Kentucky where many feral animals cross our yard nightly. So, when my seven-month-old cat, Peanut, ran out, my heart sank. After nearly four days I went to leave the back patio light on again hoping it might lead him home. Then, on night four of his disappearance – BAM! – our eyes locked! At first Peanut froze, but I, keeping a soft steady voice, repeated his name over and over while slowly, quietly opening the back door. But Peanut just took off into the night. I continued to call his name and to tiptoe out further.

Just as I was going to go back in, I heard him cry. Again I started calling ‘Peanut! Peanut baby!” and his cries got louder and faster! Every time I’d get within an arm’s length he would run and hide. He kept crying and by now I was crying myself. I begged him over and over ‘Please, Peanut, come to mommy!’ Finally, he let me pet him and quickly I grabbed the scruff of his neck and pulled him into my arms!

Knowing I had the support of PetLink kept me calm. Even though I was sad, I knew there was such a good chance Peanut would be turned in somewhere and once scanned I could be reunited with him. The PetLink posters were a great tool to get the message out that he was missing. I found the system so simple to use, as prior to that I was trying to make my own posters which took hours while all the while I was losing precious time! Even though Peanut was never turned in, I know the bright blue tag on his collar would have led to his microchip being scanned and that he would be brought safely back to me.