A family in the middle of a move in Colorado dropped off their old recliner at the thrift shop on New Year’s Eve. Out with the old to start a New Year. But there was just one problem: Inside the recliner, they had no idea that their beloved cat Montequlla was quietly hiding inside and couldn’t get out.
Cats often decide to hide when they see their family moving items out of the home. Sometimes, they can turn up where you least expect them, such as in a neighbor’s moving van 900 miles away!
Images via Facebook/Denver Animal Shelter
Fortunately, Montequlla’s adventures came to a happy ending at the thrift shop, and nobody purchased the recliner before he was discovered. Image what a surprise that would have been. Instead, a thrift store employee contacted Denver Animal Protection after hearing meowing sounds from the chair.
Screenshots via YouTube/FOX31 Denver
A Thrift Shop Recliner with Something Extra
Denver Animal Protection (DAP) sent Officer Jenna Humphreys to the Arc Thrift Store to rescue the kitty. As you can see, Montequlla was not pleased with being stuck inside the recliner, but the big, “very friendly” orange cat was soon free from the prison of his own making.
“Oftentimes when we have a stressful event like that, we know that animals can seek hiding spots. So, this one just happened to pick the recliner that they were going to donate to Arc,” Humphreys said. “It’s not uncommon for us to be called to help remove animals from those situations, but this was a new one.”
Afterward, the officer checked for a microchip, but the information wasn’t current. So, it’s a good reminder to keep your pet’s microchip data up to date.
Meanwhile, Montequlla’s family noticed their big kitty was missing from their then-empty home. At that point, they realized the cat could have been in the recliner and headed back to the thrift shop. It must have been a fast drive, and we can only guess how anxious they were.
A Joyful Reunion for Montequlla
Once the family arrived at the shop, they were relieved to learn Montequlla was safe with the DAP officer. Then, a joyous reunion for the kitty and his human. Look how overjoyed they are, and a great way to start the New Year after all the excitement. The kitty was also suddenly world famous, appearing in local, national, and international news.
“We are so happy for the ending to this story and are thankful to everyone involved in getting this sweet cat home safely,” wrote the Denver Animal Shelter.
Below, you can see the none-too-pleased kitty shortly before he made his way to freedom from Fox31 Dever:
Recliners and Curious (and sometimes orange) Kitties
In the comments on Facebook, someone made a funny comment:
“Why are orange cats like this?”
Our favorite orange kitty, Marmalade, would surely never explore a cavernous recliner like this (Oh yes, he would!).
Generally, recliners can be dangerous for cats and dogs, particularly when rocking or moving the footrest. So, pet parents must always be vigilant around these chairs or replace them with something safer so that pets won’t be tempted to crawl inside unseen. During moving time, cats will naturally seek a place to hide from all the commotion. So, keeping them inside a closed room where you can easily spot them at all times is a good idea.
For more about household hazards for cats, check out our article and video with Cat Man Chris below:
