A family was devastated after their cat went missing in Bristol three years ago.
But now, after all of this time – and with a little help from technology – the family is back together.
“We said it’s pretty much like a Christmas miracle,” said Jessica Kelly of Meriden.
Kelly remembers back in 2018 when her beloved cat vanished after escaping from their previous home in Bristol. They searched everywhere for her.
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“After about six months, when I moved out of town, I kind of lost hope,” Kelly said.
But fate had other plans.
Just a few weeks ago, someone messaged the Connecticut Cat Connection about a cat hanging around Kelly’s old apartment building in Bristol.
“They just really were concerned about this cat,” said Beth S., a volunteer at Connecticut Cat Connection.
Eventually, that cat was brought to the shelter in Windsor.
After discovering the cat had a microchip, staff scanned it and this past Sunday, left a message with the person linked to it.
“Jessica called right back, and I said, 'We've had a cat. We had a cat surrender to us, and the microchip was connected to you,' and her immediate response was 'Jasmine? Really?' Like just so the emotion came through,” said Beth.
“I broke down in tears because I lost hope. But I was very happy,” Kelly said.
Kelly and her son Giovanni soon had an emotional reunion with Jasmine, who is now on the road to recovery.
She is underweight and needed her overgrown nails cut, treatment for a respiratory infection and to have her fur shaved.
“She looked a lot different with all the fur, and she’s now eleven years old,” said Giovanni.
The family says after all of these years, it took a little time for Jasmine to recognize them. But now they think her journey and their reunion could serve as an inspiration to others with missing pets.
“Don’t lose hope,” said Kelly.
All possible because of a microchip that Kelly encourages other animal owners to consider.
Connecticut Cat Connection has other steps owners should take if their pet goes missing.
