A cat that鈥檚 been missing for five years has been found, and Handsome needs a new home.

The black and white kitty disappeared from the area of Yale Road and Menzies Street in Chilliwack in 2016, and after a few months his owner gave up on the idea that Handsome would find his way home.

The cat was given up for lost.

But in Handsome鈥檚 head, he wasn鈥檛 lost. He was surviving. He migrated to an area near Young Road and Airport Road, where there is a colony of feral cats living behind the RCMP station.

Handsome started living the wild cat life, and he would have remained completely undetected if not for Christy Moschopedis and the volunteers at FCM Community Cat Trappers. The group works to improve the lives of feral, barn, and stray cats in Chilliwack and surrounding areas. Part of that involves trapping feral cats and getting them neutered or spayed to control the population.

Moschopedis was tracking another cat when she spotted Handsome.

鈥淚 was looking in the area behind Cheam View Veterinary Hospital, just across a ravine, and I saw him,鈥� Moschopedis said. 鈥淭hey have this brand new fully-fenced locked compound and he was in there all by himself. It was nine at night, and I was like, 鈥極h! Smart kitty. You鈥檝e found yourself a super safe place to hang out.鈥�

Moschopedis set up a feed station and a camera to see if he visited the police station side of the ravine, and yes he did.

鈥淪o I put out food for four nights, and when I was sure he was coming every night, I set up the trap,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he girls at the vet clinic kept an eye on it and within two hours we had him.鈥�

Handsome spent the first seven years of his life as an indoor/outdoor cat, with all of his needs provided for. For a domesticated animal to be thrown into the wild and survive five years is amazing. He has a puncture wound under his eye suggesting he鈥檚 had a recent scrap with a raccoon, but otherwise he鈥檚 in fine shape.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of luck,鈥� Moschopedis said, explaining how Handsome survived this long.

Handsome had an ear tattoo that was barely legible, and he was going to be released back into his colony. But after a lot of work, Moshopedis was able to connect with his owner.

Sadly, he can鈥檛 go back to his original home.

Five years is a long time, and his owner eventually moved on, buying a dog that isn鈥檛 cat friendly. Handsome is currently hanging out at Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, and Moschopedis said such a lovable fluffball will have no problem finding a new family.

After living in the wild for so long, some cats are never able to re-adjust to domesticated life, but Moschopedis said the 12-year-old is still people friendly.

鈥淲hen the vet clinic girls first checked the trap to try to sedate him, he was pretty angry, hissing a lot,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hankfully, when he woke up he was a little more chill and very happy to rub his nose on my fingers when I put them into the trap.

鈥淎s soon as he鈥檚 cleaned, and a wound under his eye is healed up, he鈥檒l be ready for adoption and he is absolutely lovely.鈥�

For more info on FCM Community Cat Trappers, .

For more info on Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven,

eric.welsh@theprogress.com
Like us on