In hopes that his actual cat, Oliver, would return, Halie Kutscher’s 9-year-old son cuddled an orange cat Beanie Baby for weeks.
The youngster was unaware that Oliver was traveling nearly 40 kilometers so they could be reunited.
The Kutscher family was recently getting ready to move from their home in Bridgeport, West Virginia, to Morgantown when they realized their cat had disappeared. After a thorough search, they made the difficult decision to leave without him, vowing to return to Bridgeport and look.
“We knew that we had some time to keep coming back to the old house to look for him, so we were still hopeful,” Kutscher told “We would go back every weekend.”
But each time the family returned, Oliver was nowhere to be found.
“Everytime we left without a sign of him, my son … would cry relentlessly,” Kutscher said. “It was heartbreaking to watch.”
The Kutschers’ hope started to fade once they finally sold their home. They were ready for a challenging chat with their kid in which they would deliver the devastating news that Oliver was probably no longer with them.
Kutscher stated, “His dad and I didn’t anticipate we’d have to deal with the death of a pet at such a young age.
An instantly recognizable set of ears soon materialized in their yard.
Oliver had surprisingly located them.
“He was just staring up at us,” Kutscher said. “I scooped him right up in my arms … as soon as we got inside, I dropped to my knees and just held him sobbing. He stayed right there with me as the rest of the family and pets gathered around him.”
Later, a microchip scan at the vet confirmed what the family already knew — Oliver had miraculously found his way home, all by himself.
Oliver was the same even after all he had gone through.
Kutscher said, “He wasn’t terrified, hesitant, or anything.” He only appeared exhausted and delighted to be home.
Now safe in his new home, Oliver can finally relax after such a long journey. His family might never know how their cunning cat found them, but they’re so happy he did.
