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Mich Goes Missing
In late August 2022, Mich’s owner Fillejea was running some errands when she realized she hadn’t seen her cat Mich since the night before. Although Mich was allowed in the garden, his family lived in a perimeter block, where all the back gardens bordered one another in a closed loop, meaning the only way out to the street was through a house. Still, Mich didn’t return.
The Search Begins
Mich’s family started frantically looking for him, ringing neighbors’ doorbells, placing Mich’s litter box and blanket outside, calling his name, listing him on missing pet websites, and marking his microchip as lost.
When no one had seen Mich, his owners had over 300 flyers printed, posted paid ads on Facebook, contacted every vet in the city, and asked friends and family to help with the search. Even a night vision camera was installed near the front door and a thermal imaging camera was used in the search for the lost tabby. When after a week, Mich still hadn’t been found, things were taken to the next level!
A Drone and a Tracking Dog
One of Fillejea’s close friends brought over a drone to help look for Mich on the rooftops. However, the sky-based search turned up nothing. Still determined, Fillejea turned to the internet in search of a tracking dog, and miraculously, she found a handler willing to help. While the canine was actually trained to track other dogs, its owner agreed to give it a try. On a long walk, the tracking dog did behave strangely near one particular house though unfortunately, the residents hadn’t seen Mich.
Help From the Spiritual Realm
Thinking about what else she could try, Fillejea decided to contact a spiritual medium. This psychic told her that Mich was near a car repair shop with a red floor. Coincidentally, there was a place matching that exact description right around the corner. Fillejea searched every inch of the place, unfortunately without result.
When all hope seems lost
After a month of intensive daily searching, Fillejea had to face the heartbreaking reality that there was nothing more she could do. Her other cat, Lola, was clearly grieving: she had grown quiet and started losing weight. Six months after Mich’s disappearance, Fillejea could no longer bear it and decided to bring home a new feline friend to lift Lola’s spirits – a little Abyssinian called Jules.
The Breakthrough
Seven months after Mich’s disappearance, Fillejea’s boyfriend spotted a Facebook post about an injured tabby cat seen roaming a park just half a mile from their home. While the photo was very unclear, the pair rushed to the park to search for what might be Mich, but without result. As a last resort, Fillejea commented on the post, asking that if anyone managed to catch the tabby, they take it to a vet to have its microchip scanned.
Home Sweet Home!
Just one day after leaving her comment on Facebook, Fillejea received a call from a nearby vet. Someone had brought in the tabby, and it indeed turned out to be Mich! Fillejea rushed over without hesitation, and the moment she was reunited with Mich, he immediately started purring with joy. Although he had suffered a fracture in his back right paw, sweet Mich made a full recovery. Today, he’s happily back at home, enjoying life with his feline friends Lola and Jules, and the loving care of Fillejea and her boyfriend.
Fillejea’s golden tip: microchip your cat
In many countries, microchipping isn’t mandatory, so too few cat owners have their feline friend chipped. However, the tiny chip, which is no bigger than a grain of rice, is often the crucial link in reuniting lost cats with their owners. While searching for Mich, Fillejea met several pet owners whose cats had been returned home, sometimes after two or even five years, thanks to a microchip.
So, here’s the golden tip: Get your cat microchipped. It could make all the difference.
