In late October, rescuers from PAW Warriors in Spring Hill, Florida, took in an injured kitten named Leonard. Unlike the feral cats they generally help, this one was immediately snuggly and friendly.
Someone brought the tabby cat to them with what looked like a shaved front shoulder. Although shy, he was very friendly and purring. He was certainly not feral, and they thought someone might have lost him, but he had no microchip. So, it would take a lot of luck to find his home.
In a video, they showed the friendly Leonard purring happily as he ate some food.
“This handsome guy was brought to us last week. He has an injury to his front left leg, and the surrounding hair looks like it was either shaved (to be treated by a vet) or may have been part of the injury itself but is growing back. He’s a little shy but very sweet and purring when you pet him. We are posting in the off chance someone may be missing him,” they shared.
The Off Chance Someone Recognized Leonard
PAW Warriors decided to post the video on the chance of somebody recognizing Leonard. As it turned out, this cat was lucky indeed! A woman named Doris Ripley saw the video and suspected it was her cat missing since February, nine months with no trace.
“Does he have a scar of missing hair on his left or right ear? We lost a cat a long while back looks just like him. My son nicked his ear with scissors, why I’m asking about his ears,” she posted.
Sure enough, the cat did have a nicked ear.
Days later, PAW Warriors Inc shared the happy news.
“A few days ago, we posted about a super sweet, injured kitty that was brought in. We primarily deal with street cats, but this guy’s snuggly disposition seemed like he may have had a home at one time. We posted him just in case…Well, then we got a message from Doris and her family. Her cat Leonard had been missing since February!”
Doris sent pictures to the rescuers, and sure enough, the small scars on the ear matched! When there’s no microchip, those unique markings can be critical in reuniting lost pets.
“The marking were very unique so it was easy to tell they were the same cat,” the rescue shared.
The Happiest Reunion Ever
In the reunion pictures, we one extremely happy Leonard and his family with Doris and her kids. These pictures are truly heartwarming and show the deep bond they share.
“Leonard is Home! Happy to be reunited with his family, where he melted into his mommy’s arms. Happy Tails, Leonard! We are so honored to be a part of your journey.”
The initially nervous cat quickly realized he was back with his familiar family at last.
“He was a little nervous at first, but once in his mommy’s arms, he just melted. You can see the smile on his face,” the rescue shared.
“Thank you all. We are so overwhelmed with happiness and joy that Leonard is home ❤️ truly a blessing 🥰,” said Doris.
Only Leonard Knows For Sure
Now Leonard is back home, but nobody knows where he’s been this whole time. Being such a friendly kitty, he probably found strangers willing to feed him. But only he knows for sure. If someone had checked him for a microchip, they would have come up short, but thanks to social media, wonderful rescuers, and lots of luck, Leonard is back home safe. Let’s hope the first thing they did was microchip him!
If you’re in the Spring Hill, Florida area, you can find a furry friend during Happy Hour at PAW Warriors Inc. Visitors during their designated hours can arrive and ” let one of our wonderful friends choose YOU!” What a purrfect way to find a cat companion.
You can follow PAW Warriors Inc on Facebook and find out how to volunteer on their website.
PAW Warriors Inc Happy Hour when people meet cats for adoption via Facebook.
