Kumiko had always been the adventurous type, but no one in her family ever imagined she’d embark on a journey that would take her over 700 miles away.
One day, she was just there – walking through the pool area. And then, she was gone.
Her family, the Amblers from Londonderry, New Hampshire, searched for their cat everywhere. They posted online, put up flyers, and called every vet and shelter in town.
Neighbors checked their yards, and sightings popped up now and then, but none of them led to Kumiko.
Days turned into weeks, then months, and Kumiko never returned home. The worry was unbearable.
Kumiko’s twin sister, Kairi, felt the loss just as deeply. She would sit by the door, meowing for her sister. It broke their mother’s heart, as she shared in an interview:
“I honestly cried almost every day about it.”
And as time passed, so did their hope. With coyotes, foxes, and eagles in the area, they feared the worst.
Then, out of nowhere, the phone rang the day after Thanksgiving. It was a call from the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor, Michigan, asking the Amblers if they were missing a cat.
The family could hardly believe it. At first, they thought it was a joke, trying to wrap their heads around the idea that their little cat had traveled across multiple states.
But no – it was real. Kumiko had been found. In Michigan.
She had been caught in a live trap, but she wasn’t just alive, she was surprisingly healthy as if she’d figured out exactly how to survive on her own.
The shelter staff had nicknamed her “Crouching Tiger”, sharing in a Facebook post:
“Crouching Tiger came to us as a stray. We never imagined how far she’d traveled from home. Her microchip led us to her original adoption center, who helped us connect her with her family – 700 miles away in New Hampshire!”
The moment Paul heard the news, there was no hesitation. He immediately booked a flight, sharing:
“Ohana means family. Nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”
Within days, Kumiko was back home.
The reunion was filled with joy – and a little shock. Kairi, who had spent months calling out for her sister, seemed unsure at first. But then, after a few sniffs and a slow blink of recognition, she purred and rubbed against Kumiko like nothing had changed.
This time, the Amblers weren’t taking any chances. Kumiko now wears an Apple AirTag on her collar, because, as her dad put it:
“Well, now we know she’s a flight risk.”
No one knows how Kumiko made it to Michigan, what adventures she had, or who might have helped her along the way.
But one thing is for sure – she found her way back to where she truly belonged, as the Humane Society of Huron Valley shared:
“We wish Crouching Tiger could tell us the story behind her baffling journey, but the happy ending is what matters.”
The shelter took the opportunity to remind all pet owners to microchip their pets, sharing:
“Although Crouching Tiger’s story is extraordinary, lost pets are unfortunately a common occurrence. Which is why we always say: microchip, microchip, microchip! It’s a quick and inexpensive procedure that any veterinarian can perform.”
Indeed, a simple chip can be the difference between a heartbreaking loss and a joyful reunion. We see too many pets who never return home, and it doesn’t have to be that way.
Kumiko was lucky, but luck isn’t something you want to count on when it comes to your beloved pet, right?
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