t what point does someone give up hope after losing a pet?
For Morgan Daye, the answer is never.
She was always keeping an eye out for her cat Peter, even after eventually moving from Saint John to Quispamsis.
“Without any closure, it’s hard to ever really give up hope,” she said.
And just last week, the thought telling her he could still be out there became a reality.
Peter, who had been lost for five years, is now 14 years old and settling back into his old life.
A tearful reunion
A mail carrier in the area saw Peter one day and because of the cat’s social nature and “alarming” state, she contacted the animal rescue group, RedHead Strays helping Stray Cats Strut, and he was taken to the Fundy Animal Hospital.
A friend of Daye’s mom saw the cat’s photo on the Facebook group and sent it along.
When she got to the vet, Daye noticed a few scars and a kink at the end of his tail that made her sure it was Peter.
“The vet tech, Jade, at Fundy Animal Hospital, she said right away, ‘oh my gosh, yes, he does have a kink in his tail.’ And we both kind of sat on the floor … and cried,” she said.
Long-time gone
Peter went missing from Saint John’s Millidgeville neighbourhood, but was found years later, far from home, on the city’s lower west side.
Even after Peter initially didn’t come back, Daye only put posters up around Millidgeville and the north end because she didn’t think it would be possible for Peter to get any farther on his own.
As an indoor and outdoor cat, he had “free range of the neighbourhood” and was known to sometimes run through open doors of homes or vehicles.
Daye thinks it’s possible he jumped into the bed of a pickup truck and when he found himself in unfamiliar territory, didn’t know how to get home.
A happy ending
Daye said it’s hard to think about what Peter went through during his time away. But she has since heard from people on the lower west side who saw him, fed him and took him in on really cold winter nights.
“It’s a little bit comforting to know that he might have been taken care of somewhat during those years, but I don’t believe he ever actually had another permanent home other than ours.”
Since Peter has been back home, Daye said he hasn’t needed a lot of medical intervention despite his long stint on the streets.
She said he needed to be shaved and bathed because he was full of fleas and was badly matted. He will eventually need some dental work done and a few shots once he’s healthy enough.
Peter is still as talkative as ever, said Daye, and continues to cuddle up next to her on the couch.
“In a weird way, it feels like he was never gone because it’s just, it’s so clearly him,” she said.
“I’m glad he has this happy ending that he deserves.”
With files from Information Morning Saint John
This story was originally published in CBC News on Oct. 21, 2023.
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