A Lost Minnesota Cat Spent 40 Days In The Colorado Wilderness And Made It Home

I have three cats and a dog, and they're family. They aren't "just pets." They're the ones waiting for me when I get home, the ones who somehow know when I've had a bad day, and the ones who make me laugh without even trying. The thought of one of them disappearing is almost too much to think about.

That's why this story from a Minnesota woman hit me so hard. What would you do in her situation?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Oak Grove, Minnesota tattoo artist Nakee Bullen was on the trip of a lifetime with her boyfriend, driving home from Los Angeles while stopping to explore some of America's national parks. But during a camping trip near Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, everything changed.

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I have to add to this story that Nakee and her boyfriend don't travel alone. They love their cats so much that they take them with them when they travel. How fun is that?

A TERRIBLE DISCOVERY

Unfortunately, they woke up early one morning to discover both of their cats were missing.

Thankfully, one of them, Lewis, was close by. But her three-year-old cat, Fridge, had vanished.

Can you imagine that feeling?

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THE SEARCH BEGINS

They searched everywhere, checking campsites for miles, hoping Fridge would appear, but after searching and searching, Fridge never showed up. Eventually they had to make the heartbreaking decision to head home without their sweet kitty cat.

Nakee later told CBS Minnesota, "I felt like I left a little piece of me there."

As a pet owner, I don't know how you ever drive away from that situation. I think I'd spend every second wondering if I should have searched one more hour...one more day...one more trail.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES IN MINNESOTA

Back home in Minnesota, Nakee didn't stop searching for her cat. She constantly checked animal shelter websites and social media, hoping someone had found her. She would get her hopes up every time she saw a face that looked like her kitty, but they never panned out, and every false alarm only made the heartbreak worse. Even park rangers warned her the chances of finding Fridge were very slim.

But then, something amazing happened 40 days after Fridge went missing.

40 DAYS LATER...

Someone found Fridge alive in the Colorado wilderness and brought her to a humane society.

The moment Nakee got the call, she jumped in her car and drove 16 hours back to Colorado to bring home Fridge. She described Fridge as "a fighter" and said seeing her again brought nothing but tears of joy.

HEALTHY AND READY TO COME HOME

Somehow, after spending more than a month alone in the wilderness, Fridge was healthy and ready to come home.

Stories like this remind me that sometimes miracles really do happen.

I know if one of my pets ever disappeared, I'd never stop hoping for a phone call like that. I have a feeling I'm not the only one.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Could you imagine losing one of your pets? And if you've ever been lucky enough to have a lost pet find its way home, I'd love to hear your story. Send me a message to kelly@wjon.com.