Grieving owner finds missing cat outside her door after 5 weeks. She looks different.
The pet population in America has been on the rise since 1991, and the number of domesticated cats has also increased significantly from 29.2 million to 42.1 million in 2024. With this, the risk of losing pets has also increased, leaving the owner anxious in search of their loved animals. When unable to find missing pets, all they are left with is patience and an excruciating wait. In one such incident, a user shared via a Reddit post that her missing cat had returned after five weeks, underweight but safe. The post was published on June 20, 2025, and has garnered 11k upvotes on Reddit.
The relieved owner wrote in the caption, “Pepper snuck out and did not come home for five weeks. We went out day and night looking for her, on posters, on social media, etc. This Sunday (5 weeks to the day!) I hear a tiny thud and a meow at the door. And there she was, only half of her body weight (from 10lbs to 4.4lbs) but otherwise unharmed. Her vet gave us a refeeding plan, and she will be back on top soon!” Her happy story of reuniting with her cat, Pepper, is just one of those fortunate incidents that happen in life sometimes.
According to reports, nearly 10 million pets go missing in the United States each year, and almost all of them are put into animal shelters, therefore, overloading any available space. To deal with that, according to ABC's report on June 10th, the Town of James Island, South Carolina, came up with a micro scanning system to locate lost animals. “The 24/7-accessible scanning station aims to assist residents in reuniting lost pets with their owners by allowing them to scan for microchips,” mentioned the report. It will aid owners in connecting with their lost pets quicker and also reduce the presence of stray animals on the streets.
In a similar vein, Bullhead, Arizona, came up with “Network Neighbours” to help the residents of the city with the necessary information about their lost pets. This was launched in May 2025 with the idea of releasing the burden on animal shelters and reuniting the pets with their families. This will work by distributing yard signs that will have QR codes linking them to the city’s lost and found platform, Petco Love Lost. People can scan the QR codes when they find a stranded animal on the streets, and automatically be connected with the owner via the Love Lost platform.
While @u/420scoobertdoobert69’s cat luckily found its way back home. People from Carolina and Arizona can take help from the above-designed systems. Reddit users also shared their stories in response: "My kitty was 17 when he escaped, had CKD, and was missing for 3 weeks. His eyesight wasn’t good anymore either. He was the absolute sweetest, clingiest Velcro cat, and because of his age, after two weeks with no word, I was giving up hope. That phone call from my neighbor and me rushing out of the house half-dressed just to see him curled up under a bush sleeping is one I’ll never forget. I hugged him to my chest and cried. He survived. Calliope sounds like she was the best girl," wrote @u/Farewellandadieu. "I had a senior kitty escape while we were on vacation. My grandparents were supposed to be watching the cats, but never noticed that the screen got knocked out of the window or that one cat was missing. It was the middle of summer, too. Luckily, she was fine and seemed emboldened by the experience. She was a fairly timid girl and started to come out of her shell more after her adventure. She was just chilling in our backyard like everything was normal when we got home," said @u/amh8011.
If your pet is missing and you need help reuniting, please reach out to AKC Reunite at 1‑800‑252‑7894