A cat who suffered from severe burns after miraculously surviving a massive wildfire finally found his happy ending after being reunited with his family.
On December 30, a wildfire swept through Boulder County, Colorado, destroying about a thousand suburban homes across 6,200 acres and causing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate, according to the New York Times. It was one of the most damaging fires in Colorado history.
In the aftermath of the disaster, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley took care of one of the victims: an orange Tabby cat who had survived the fire but suffered debilitating burns.
The cat was found on January 4, just days after the fire. According to a post from HSBV, he was treated for his severe burns at a local vet clinic before being transferred to the humane society for extended care.
“His face and paws were extremely burned, and our compassionate veterinary team quickly began treating him for the burns, cleaning his wounds and ensuring his pain is well-managed,” they wrote.
Over time, the cat’s burns began to heal. He made steady progress, to the point where you could see his eyes and face clearly again.
But this also led to another setback: the vets thought they had found the cat’s family, but after getting a closer look, the family realized he wasn’t theirs.
The Humane Society of Boulder County continued to search for the cat’s real family, checking with local missing animal reports. They shared the cat’s story on social media, hoping someone would recognize the cat and help them reunite him with his owners.
Finally, yesterday, weeks after the cat was found, he finally got a happy reunion with his owner — one that was far more overdue than they thought.
According to an update by the HSBV, the cat, named “Boots,” didn’t go missing in the fire — he had been already missing for a year!
“His guardian searched far and wide for her beloved boy to no avail,” they wrote. “When she saw photos as he recovered here at HSBV, and his signature orange and white markings became more identifiable, she couldn’t believe her eyes.”
While it’s unfortunate that Boots was burned in the wildfire, everything worked out for the best in the end, as it led to him finally finding his long-lost family.
The HSBV shared a video of Boots reuniting with his tearful owner.
“She was overwhelmed to realize it was her long-lost companion, and Boots was overjoyed to see her tonight!”
What a miraculous ending for Boots! We’re so happy that after everything he’s been through he’s been reunited with his family after so long.
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