Krista Sylvester is reunited with her cat Phoenix in Calgary, Alta., on Thursday, October 27, 2016, after he ran away 10 years ago. Leah Hennel/Postmedia
CALGARY -
A little more than the very next day — 12 years later in fact — the cat came back.
Black and white kitty Phoenix sneaked out of his owner’s backyard in Mayland Heights more than a decade ago, and this week ended up at a southwest vet office, looking clean, plump and apparently living a life of feline leisure.
Krista Sylvester was shocked when she received a call Wednesday afternoon about her long-lost cat.
“When they called me and said they had found my cat, I looked in my house and thought, ‘No they’re both right here,’” laughed Sylvester, who has since become the owner of two new cats, and two dogs.
“I have quite the zoo here, so it’ll be interesting when Phoenix comes back.
“It’ll be quite the homecoming.”
It was purr-fect, in fact.
Reunited Thursday at Britannia Kingsland Vet Clinic, Sylvester quietly stroked Phoenix’s fur, not wanting to overwhelm the now hefty feline with too much attention.
“Aww, he’s purring,” she said, petting him.
“He’s definitely my cat. I recognize his little diamond here.”
That may be all she recognized as Phoenix has bulked up considerably since he went missing in 2004 or 2005.
“I think someone had him because he’s in good shape.”
When Sylvester adopted Phoenix from the Calgary Humane Society 13 years ago, his inner ear was tattooed with a number.
When clients of the vet clinic found him hanging around their house, they brought him in and Dr. Elaine Murphy traced the tattoo number to Sylvester.
“He was super friendly, always purring, and a little bit of a troublemaker, always trying to get into the fridge and the cupboards. But he was just a kitten back then.”
Before being reunited at the vet’s, Sylvester said she hoped his recent owner would hear about him and come forward.
“I feel bad because I know he has a real owner who is probably missing him. So I would be more than happy to return him to his home.”
But, after cuddling him and planting a few kisses on his head, she was rethinking that.
“It’ll be hard to give him up again. I’ve fallen in love.”
A little more than the very next day — 12 years later in fact — the cat came back.
Black and white kitty Phoenix sneaked out of his owner’s backyard in Mayland Heights more than a decade ago, and this week ended up at a southwest vet office, looking clean, plump and apparently living a life of feline leisure.
Krista Sylvester was shocked when she received a call Wednesday afternoon about her long-lost cat.
“When they called me and said they had found my cat, I looked in my house and thought, ‘No they’re both right here,’” laughed Sylvester, who has since become the owner of two new cats, and two dogs.
“I have quite the zoo here, so it’ll be interesting when Phoenix comes back.
“It’ll be quite the homecoming.”
It was purr-fect, in fact.
Reunited Thursday at Britannia Kingsland Vet Clinic, Sylvester quietly stroked Phoenix’s fur, not wanting to overwhelm the now hefty feline with too much attention.
