Well, it all started when my friend Christine took her two cats to the Caribou vet’s office back the end of August. Unfortunately, a mishap with her cat carrier resulted in one of the kitties, Malcolm, darting off into the woods.
Christine spent weeks returning to the area trying to find her beloved cat and heartsick thinking of how scared and hungry he must be. She lost hope when she got a call that a black cat matching Malcolm’s description and location was injured and was probably hit by a car.
Fast forward to a week ago. I received a message from my friend Nancy that County Ag and Turf Supply in Caribou had posted a Facebook photo and message that their security camera had captured a photo of a black cat with white paws. It seemed that the kitty had been seen in the area before, and with the temperatures reaching below zero, they were truly concerned for the life of this little cat.
Christine contacted Morgan Bartlett, who had posted her number, and after several visits looking at other photos that were captured, Christine told me, “I am 95% sure that is my Malcolm.”
She couldn’t believe it. The owners of the business, Gerry and Randy Nadeau, along with their employee, Morgan, provided a warm, safe spot with food and water and also spent a day monitoring a live trap. Eventually, Christine got the call that the cat had been caught.
She raced to the store and found a scared, angry, unhappy and hissing cat. She got close to the trap and said, “Malcolm?” — and received a sweet and relieved “Meow.”
Needless to say, Malcolm somehow managed to survive for more than three months, and who knows what kind of adventures he must have had? Words can’t begin to describe the relief and the feeling of being so very thankful to the Nadeaus and Morgan for caring enough to go above and beyond for this little stray kitty. They reported that they are all “cat people” and it was extra special for them to be able to help.
The latest reports are that Malcolm was thrilled to get home to several overflowing bowls of food and a very warm and grateful lap to curl up in.
Stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society or check us out on Facebook. And please be responsible: spay and neuter your pets.
Gloria J. Towle is on the Central Aroostook Humane Society Board of Directors.
