Finding Nemo: Cat Edition
When Stacy Jackson’s kitty, Nemo, went missing nearly three years ago near Spencer, Wisconsin, she didn’t think she would ever see him again. Her feline friend of five years had been with her since kittenhood, always greeting her with a loud purr and constant eagerness to cuddle. The kitten loved her toddler, Carson, and the two could often be found snuggling together.
One day, he disappeared.
“We thought he had been attacked by a fischer (a small weasel-like creature) and killed,” said Jackson. “There was one in the area that had been seen. We never thought we’d see Nemo again.”
Fast forward to mid-September 2016. An orange cat started frequenting the yard of animal-lover Lori Breu-Roux, who lives south of Marshfield.
Breu-Roux contacted Marshfield Area Pet Shelter (MAPS) to see if there had been an orange tabby reported missing. Though none had been reported recently, MAPS posted a photo of the cat on social media to try and locate an owner. After seeing the organization’s courtesy post on Facebook, Jackson was overjoyed.
“I almost couldn’t hold back the tears,” she said upon seeing her missing friend.
“The reaction was emotional for me and the owners,” said Breu-Roux. “I was heart-filled with tears and smile. I could only imagine me in their shoes, and getting closure.”
Adding happiness to the reunion was the fact that it was Carson’s fifth birthday.
“What a great present,” added Breu-Roux. “I am overfilled with joy that I could help in that reunion. MAPS is a great connection. I have a big heart and no animal goes unloved on my watch.”
Nemo is now home and settling in comfortably.
“I am still completely in shock,” said Jackson. “But it’s a nice warm fuzzy feeling in this household tonight.”
Jackson knows how lucky she is to have her cat back again, and will be getting Nemo microchipped just in case he ever goes missing again. With one of our every three pets going missing at some point during their lifetime, she isn’t taking any chances.
“We think microchips are a great idea,” she said. “Cats always take their collars off almost as soon as you put them on, so unfortunately they aren’t reliable.”
She added that even if Nemo’s outcome hadn’t been happy, a microchip would at least have given her closure and peace of mind. “We’d have potentially at least known what happened to him or been contacted when someone found him,” she said.
MAPS will host its next microchip clinic on Saturday, November 12 from 11:00am-2:00pm at Marshfield Mall. Just $15 protects a pet for life. To report a lost or found pet, contact MAPS Lost/Found or call 715-486-5140.
