Missing Colorado Cat Found In NYC After 5 Years

After five years, a calico cat name Willow will be reunited with her Boulder, Colorado, family, the Squires. In late 2006 or early 2007, Willow disappeared from their home when contractors left a door open. Quite to their shock, the Squires received a call on Wednesday saying that Willow was in ….. Manhattan.

A man had found Willow on East 20th street and brought her to an animal shelter, where workers at Animal Care and Control identified Willow thanks to a microchip the Squires implanted in her as a kitten. A photo of Willow confirmed to the Squires that she was indeed the cat who had gone missing some five years ago, says the New York Times. The Squires have three children, two of whom knew Willow — “we still have her little Christmas stocking,” said her owner — and a yellow Labrador named Roscoe, who also knew Willow. They’ve since had a third child and added an English mastiff named Zoe to their family. While the Squires work on transportation for Willow back to Colorado, the cat is staying with a foster family.

The question remains, how in the world did Willow get from Boulder to the streets of New York City? Willow is said to be “healthy and well-mannered, and probably had not spent her life on the streets of Manhattan.” A September 16th update suggests that, however Willow traveled 1,800 miles, she did not walk or steal a ride in the back of a container truck:

Willow, Gothamist reported Friday morning, was befriended and adopted by a New Yorker on a Colorado ski vacation and was flown across the country to a new home in Brooklyn.

A woman who says she cat-sat for Willow’s East Coast owner told Gothamist that the the owner took steps to make sure he was not stealing someone’s cat before bringing Willow east. “She was vetted prior to flying, and none of her history came up,” the woman wrote.

In New York, she was rechristened Molly, and eventually, the cat-sitter wrote, “She was brought to the shelter by someone who loved her very much, but was unable to give her all the time and attention she deserves.”

However. The woman’s account contradicts that of officials at Animal Care and Control, who say that Willow was taken to the 110th street shelter after the man who dropped her off had found her on East 20th street. Says the New York Times:

This means that either the person who adopted Willow in Colorado lied to the shelter about where he had found her, or Willow had at least one intermediate owner after him.

Officials at Animal Care and Control are wondering themselves. “We’ve been trying to get in contact with the person who brought the cat in but have been unable to do so,” said Richard Gentles, a spokesman for Animal Care and Control. “The person that surrendered the cat said that she was a stray.”

One could ask, how carefully did the New Yorker who allegedly found Willow in Colorado vet her history? That “vetting” process did not, it seems, involve checking to see if she had identification in the form of a microchip implanted in her.

Whether or not Willow’s whereabouts between 2006-7 and the present become the material for “catgate,” it’s very good to know that she is healthy and, most of all, that she’ll soon be back home in Colorado.

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Photo of cat in Soho, NYC, by Lee Nachtigal

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Gina C.

11:03AM PST on Jan 13, 2012

Yeah!!! Awesome story!!

send a green star

Carole H.

8:13AM PST on Jan 8, 2012

I am so happy to hear that Willow was reunited with her family. Years ago one of my cats was trapped and dumped several miles away from my home because a neighbor did not want my cat putting paw prints on his car as he stated. 6 weeks later I got a call from my vet saying that my cat, Sebastian, was found and brought to the vet clinic. Thank goodness he had been microchip-ed. i thought that I would never see him again...

Sarah M.

9:06PM PDT on Nov 4, 2011

wow, the owners are very lucky.

Elize L.

4:27AM PDT on Oct 27, 2011

What a beautiful ending or shall I say beginning !

sherry l.

8:47AM PDT on Oct 25, 2011

I had a missing cat as a child and it returned months late,a lot heavier but home. My brother thought that someone took him in. kept giving him a lot of food and wouldn't let him out. When Ginger got the chance he came home. I couldn't tell you how happy I felt. When I read that story it brought back all the good memories.

Teckla W.

9:44PM PDT on Oct 23, 2011

I have heard that not all microchips register when scanned. I don't know how true that is but maybe that is what happened in route from Colorado to New York. I'm just glad to hear she will be heading back home. Not all stories like this have a happy ending.

F Therry J.

5:54PM PDT on Oct 23, 2011

The NYC ACC KILLS between 1-80 Cats and around the same amount of Dogs every living Day....they do so for Space and bc they are too lazy to do their Job and find Homes for them. They have no such Thing as a Adoption Coordinator. JuLie Bank and her Board of Directors receive 3 Figured Salaries while these Animals lavish in Horrible Conditions and are being Murdered for shit excuses such as a sneeze or a hiss or being scared. I have seen Cats who were labeled as a Thread to the Staff turn into a purring, cuddly loving sweetie the minute after being Rescued!
Please help us save them!!! By ANY means Necessary

5:49PM PDT on Oct 23, 2011

No matter how nice this story is, it is mere luck she was saved, often the NYC ACC does not bother to really look for a chip. ALSO The moron who brought her in just bc he had no time deserves somethin else, i tell ya!!! IT is exactly this irresponsible, throw away mentality that gets animals killed every living day!

VISIT Pets on Deah Row Page on facebook to see the KILL LIST of the NYC ACC and help us save their Lives. Thank u

Victoria O.

11:44AM PDT on Oct 21, 2011

What a lovely story!!!!!!! Like it very much))))))))))
The cat is so amazing!!!!!!!!!!1

Joan B.

2:23AM PDT on Oct 20, 2011

wonderful story, thank you.