Elderly Nancy Cowen went to live in a care home (nursing home), Bramley House, some distance from her home. She gave her cat, Cleo, to one of her neighbours.
About two weeks into living at the care home, Cleo turns up at Bramley House and hangs around. She slept outside the door of the home until staff let her in. Staff took care of Cleo. At this time Nancy was unaware that her cat had tracked her down and was waiting to be reunited.
When Nancy saw the cat she thought she resembled her Cleo not realising that it was Cleo. Nancy said:
“Oh, she looks just like my cat, Cleo. But my Cleo had lost most of her tail…”
The staff checked and low-and-behold most of her tail was missing. This sweet cat had somehow found her human companion on her own. She had quietly reunited herself with Nancy. Isn’t that amazing?
There are many cat stories similar to this one. Domestic cats have this amazing ability to find their human companion even over quite long distances. We don’t know how they do it.
If a cat is taken somewhere and then finds her way back that is different. A cat can navigate with the earth’s magnetic field and use “markers” on the route. But Cleo was left behind. She would have had no idea where Nancy had gone to.
What Cleo achieved seems impossible. It is almost like there is some sort of sixth sense going on that we are unaware of. Perhaps Nancy left a trail of scent. But that’s highly unlikely after two weeks.
The happy ending is that Cleo can stay with Nancy at her care home. They are together again. The loyalty, persistence, skill and courage of domestic cats is wonderful to behold. Don’t underestimate them.
This is an example of a domestic cat imposing her will on her human companion and valuing the relationship more highly than the human. I sure that Nancy will be more healthy in the last years of her life at the home.
Source: Cat Tracks Down Elderly Owner Weeks After She Was Sent To Live In A Nursing Home
*** Wonderful ***
Yes, I have great admiration for cats. I really do. We still don’t understand enough about them. This story lets us glimpse into their mind and it is beautiful.
Cats are so unbelievable and can be very loyal.
Their sense of smell is so keen that they can do remarkable things.
I have very busy mornings and I am intense about preparing my feral feeders; but, often, I’ll feel one of my cats smelling my hair, neck, and face as I am at the counter. It’s like they are memorizing.
I love it.