A Utah Family Had All But Given Up Hope of Finding Their Missing Cat. Then, 11 Years Later, She Suddenly Reappeared

Laura and Cole Christensen believed they had lost their cat Mischa forever, until a shelter contacted them over a decade after she first went missing.

Shortly after adopting the gray Russian Blue cat to help manage the mice near their Utah home 11 years ago, Mischa slipped out the backdoor and vanished. Despite their search efforts and the fact that Mischa had been microchipped, there were no signs of the cat, at least not until October this year, ABC4 reported.

Out of the blue, Laura received an email from 24PetWatch, the company monitoring Mischa's microchip. Skeptical at first, she dismissed it as spam. But after multiple messages and a text, she visited the shelter in Lindon. The Christensens were stunned—it really was Mischa.

The once-missing cat was in rough shape, with matted fur, fleas and a large wound on her shoulder. A vet later discovered the wound was a tumor, but in a stroke of luck, it was treatable and removed successfully. Since then, Mischa has regained her strength, put on weight and found her favorite spot curled up on the Christensens' bed.

"If I hadn't lived it, I honestly wouldn't believe it," Laura said.

Where Mischa spent the last decade remains a mystery. Cole thinks she lived as a feral cat near their old home, while Laura suspects she found another family. Regardless, the Christensens are grateful for her miraculous return and say it underscores the importance of microchipping pets.

"If you're adopting any animal, you should have that animal chipped just for situations like this," Laura said.

Now, Mischa is enjoying a safe and loving home, where the Christensens have made sure to keep their doors securely shut.