“He responded to his name and climbed into my lap like no time had passed”: A family lost their beloved cat in 2012, mourned him for a decade, and then got the call they thought would never come, but bringing shadow home wasn’t so simple

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Jul 30, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

As we have said many times before, and likely many times more in the future, being a cat pawrent is no simple task. You can show them all the love in the world, but at the end of the day they are independent creatures. Who, with very little effort can go out and make a life of their own. Added to that, they are also very limited in their concentration abilities, and can very easily get swept up by something new and completely ignore the world around them. And that is the tail of this silly catto, who wandered off thirteen years before this story was uploaded to Reddit.

And by some stroke of lucky, and possibly the Cat Distribution System, made his way back to his furever family after a decade living the bougiest life possible on the street. Using nothing but his charm and his cunning, this cat solicited food from a whole street, evaded being captured and one day found himself right back where he started, and he was not mad about it. 
 

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  • 01
    My cat, missing for 11 years, has been found, it's a miracle and now they won't give him back.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 02
    In 2012 my family and I relocated to Oklahoma with our, almost 5 year old, cat Shadow. He got out of the house and never came back. I spent
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 03
    2 years looking for him holding out hope for the call he'd been found, he's chipped, but nothing. At 3 years that I made peace thinking he had d'ed and
    via Amissa_Uxorem

  • Wow that is one heck of a long time to have not given up hope. And it is understandable, most cats are very resilient and would have little to no problem getting by on their cunning and good looks to catch prey and convince hoomans to feed them when they fancied it. But to live in limbo for three years before having to make yourself give up. That sounds terrible.

  • 04
    he was mourned and to this day we still talk about how much he is loved and how much he's been missed. Last year we
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 05
    relocated to my hometown and last month we experienced a devastating tornado. My house is fine but we only get paid once a month on
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 06

    Photo 1: Shadow, a grey cat with yellow eyes is lounging on top of a purple blanket which covers OOP. Shadow rests his 2 front legs over OOP’s lap and gazes into their eyes.

    Cheezburger Image 10535949056
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 07
    the first so having to replace all the $500+ groceries we had already purchased for the month as well as things we'd
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 08
    need to make the house comfortable for daily life, left our finances less than ideal with no room to wiggle.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 09
    Then I get a call from a veterinarian office and my sweet boy has been found!! He had been living on a residential street for the last 6 years and was being fed by the neighborhood. No vets
    via Amissa_Uxorem

  • Did we call it, or did we call it. This handsome and cunning cat character used his good looks and nature to solicit food from a whole street worth of people. What a cheeky fella. And all this time he was living so large he did not even think to call or write?! Well, cat children are as cat children be, eh.

  • 10

    Photo 2: Shadow closes his eyes half way with contentment and reaches one paw on top of OOP’s hand as if to say, “Stop taking photos and pet me already!”

    Cheezburger Image 10535949312
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 11
    visits, no comfy bed, no shelter from the heat and cold except sporadically when they took pity on him. He had been
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 12
    a ed by something and required minor care and stitches which is when they found his chip with my information. I
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 13
    was so happy and couldn't wait to see him again but because we only get paid once a month, I couldn't get there until August 1st.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 14
    The woman who took him to the vet was on board but last week started talking about how she didn't know what to do with him while recovers so she and I scrambled to find funds to make the trip to get him. One bill
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 15

    Photo 3: Shadow continues resting halfway on OOP’s lap with head down and eyes closed.

    Cheezburger Image 10535949568
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 16
    was less than expected and my parents also agreed to take money from their emergency fund to make up the rest so I can go get him.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 17
    Now I'm being told that he's been given to another couple in the neighborhood who just love him so much and they're going to keep him and nothing but radio silence since then. I have
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 18
    no idea where they live, other than the town, so now my children and I have to mourn him all over again. I'm so devastated and I'm losing him all over again.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 19
    Financially we'll recover in no less than 2 months but emotionally this is a blow that will stay with me forever. We love you Shadow and miss you with all our hearts and I'm so sorry we won't be able to see you.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 20

    Photo 4: Shadow gets comfortable and falls asleep on OOP’s lap with the purple blanket, his two little paws outstretched and head tucked in.

    Cheezburger Image 10535949824
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 21
    Edit: thank you all so much for being a great community. I came here because I needed a place to voice my heart break and you all have been more than fantastic. I'm sorry that I haven't responded to everyone but appreciate all of your
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 22
    suggestions and well wishes. I have filled out a police report and I'm going to call the veterinarian's office in the morning to try and get the address on file. I also would like to apologize for my lack of coherent timeline and rambling, as
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 23
    I wrote this at the peak of my emotions. I will update again just as soon as I have anything else to report. Edit #2 Talked to the veterinary office at 9:30 this morning and they are contacting"R" to request
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 24
    she bring Shadow back to the office so I can come and get him from them. She is also going to let her know that she cannot rehome my cat regardless of the situation because he is by Oklahomas law, my cat. They were incredibly apologetic
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 25
    about the whole situation and I was advised to fill out a report because per "R" admission, he's never been to the vet in the years he's lived in the neighborhood, and he was brought and they were told he was a stray cat and had no home. It's
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 26
    been an hour since then, so hopefully I'll be hearing back really soon!
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 27
    UPDATE After a very long day of waiting, I have just gotten off the phone with the Animal hospital that contacted me and treated Shadow for his injuries and "R" has said she will
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 28
    be returning Shadow to them so that I can go and pick him up tomorrow. The police report will still stand and I will not have it dismissed until I have Shadow back in my possession. As long as she does what she said she will, I will have my
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 29
    baby boy back tomorrow! UPDATE I got a call first thing this morning from the Animal Hospital and Shadow is home! He's responding to his name, playing, coming up for pets, purring up a storm and roaming the
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 30
    house. He looks ruff but he's settling in great! We're letting him roam his domain and taking it slow on his time. He's never allowed outside ever again.
    via Amissa_Uxorem
  • 31
    Last update He's eaten, explored the house, purred and played. Now it's bedtime, he's had a long day.
    via Amissa_Uxorem

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