Missing Murphy Reunited!

REUNITED: In three months

As an indoor-only cat, Murphy the curious Domestic Short-Hair Cat jumped out of the safe confines of his yard one day. Months later, he was safely reunited thanks to his microchip enrolled with AKC Reunite!

“One day in May, Murphy was cautiously exploring the grass and bugs when our dog heard a car drive by on the road and barked, unfortunately spooking Murphy into jumping the fence,” recalled Kassi, Murphy’s owner. “We live on a quiet road with only a few other houses so my kids and I immediately let the neighbors know that we were looking for our cat!”

Kassi’s family searched for Murphy all day and night but he was nowhere to be found. When driving the car the next day, “about two miles from our home we heard a thunking sound under the car,” said Kassi. “When the sound stopped, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw Murphy roll out from under my car onto the road and run into the woods! I screamed, afraid I had hurt him and now lost him forever.”

Kassi and the kids stopped and searched the woods that day and into the next. After a couple weeks of searching and no sightings, Kassi’s family were forced to accept that Murphy most likely wouldn’t come back.

“Being a military family, we would be most likely moving from the area within the next year without him. The kids took it hard and so did I,” said Kassie. “We went about our lives, still driving by where Murphy was lost every now and then, just in case.”

However, Kassi and her family were in for a big surprise nearly three months later! Murphy was reported found to AKC Reunite!

“On August 25th, I had just returned from a wedding and was home maybe two hours when I started getting emails, calls, and texts from a local animal hospital that Murphy had been found,” said Kassi.

As it turns out, Murphy had been visiting a house for about a week near where he escaped into the woods. The family at that house began feeding and caring for him since he appeared malnourished and decided he would be a welcomed addition to their family. But after taking him to a veterinarian they discovered Murphy was microchipped and after confirming with AKC Reunite, discovered he was someone else’s pet!

“The good Samaritan brought him to our home and cried as she handed him over since she had fallen in love with him over the past week,” said Kassie. “I honestly felt guilty taking him back until I saw him strut into the house with no fear and I knew that he knew he was finally home….When I picked my kids up from school and told them Murphy was home, they started crying and couldn’t wait to see him!”

“The first few days we had him he just ate and slept. He has now been home nearly two weeks and is back to his old self (although a bit skinny still). He hasn’t shown even the least bit of interest in going outside…Murphy has been microchipped since he was about 6 months old, even though he was an indoor cat. Thank you!”