Us pet moms and dads know how hard it is to be away from our fur-children for any length of time, even if it’s sometimes just a trip to the store or going to work! Could you imagine leaving your furbaby for 2 years? We can’t, but William Pilapil knows exactly what that’s like.
On Reddit, Mr. Pilapil posted a picture of his adorable half-British Shorthair half-Scottish fold kitty named Philip. William and Philip were apart for 2 years, and his furry companion waited for daddy to come home. You’re probably wondering why William has been away for so long. The day William had to leave Philip was March 18, 2020. You guessed it: COVID-19.
Pilapil told Newsweek: “Because of the COVID-19 pandemic I had to accompany my mom to Hong Kong where she works as a flight attendant. The Philippines was not seen as a safe place for us so we had to, in essence, flee before all the flights were closed.”
Over Two Years, Separated from Philip the Cat
Unfortunately, the reunion for William and Philip had another delay after things worsened with the Hong Kong pandemic.
“Hong Kong is not doing well right now,” said Pilapil, “and I would have to leave my mom.”
At least we know that while Mr. Pilapil took care of his mom, Philip was well taken care of.
The photo of Philip melted hearts all over the world, receiving over 22,000 upvotes and hundreds upon hundreds of comments on Reddit.
One person commented, “Poor Phillip, I bet he misses you, hug him today; just teleport to him and hug him, please.”
Another person left a wonderful poem for Mr. Pilapil in the voice of Philip:
i know you’re Somewhere, human friend,
n tho we’ve been apart
my meowmory will never end –
you stay inside my heart!
it seems you left me long ago,
but promised you’d return…
n i Believe in you, i know,
but sadness here
i learn
i’ve played it over in my head
when you Hug Me again….
n as i wait here on your bed,
oh, How i Miss you, fren!
Evening_Artichoked added, “When my daughter came home after a year at college, the cat took one look at her, yelled, then ran over for the love.”
Another person shared, “Please share more of Philip! He looks so huggable!”
When the photo went viral, Philip had many fans worldwide, and people wanted nothing more than to see Mr. Pilapil and Philip reunited again.
Update on Philip
Back on Reddit, Pilapil posted an update, and it looks like they are back together at last after two years and four months apart! As you can see below, Philip looks pleased as punch to be back with his human again. He’s even wearing a little bow tie for the picture. We hope this kitty can stay with his Cat Dad forever.
“After staying a couple of years away, on July 16 2022 we have come back to our boy Philip,” the caption states.
Image via Reddit
As you probably know, pet ownership soared in the United States during the pandemic. Around 14 percent of Americans reported that they acquired a new pet. Also, 70 percent of Americans from all current generations reported spending more time with their pets due to social distancing regulations. Well, that makes sense due to the isolation in the house. However, after the pandemic, overcrowded shelters saw a surge in people returning those pets. That trend is sadly continuing and is one more reason to help out your local rescue or shelter if you can do so in any way.
Also, it’s always the perfect time to consider adopting a pet (or two!) because so many need a happy home.
