Incredible reunion leads cat back to grieving owner

As that famous tomb raider Lara Croft says, “Everything lost is meant to be found.”

Well, the video game/movie protagonist may not always be right, but when it comes to the almost unbelievable story of a cat briefly named Chanel, this time the astuteness of her observation will leave you grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Or in tears.

When assistant manager Donna Brown answered the telephone at The Cattitude Cafe on Oct. 17, she didn’t expect to be part of a miracle that reunited a Siamese-tabby mix to an owner who had been grieving her loss for weeks.

The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society had selected Chanel to join the other adoptable cats at The Cattitude Cafe, which helped find 300 homeless cats a permanent place in its first year of operation.

Chanel quickly drew the attention of Cattitude patrons, several who vowed that they would be back to adopt her. Somehow, though, that never happened.

Brown began featuring Chanel more often on social media as the cat’s two-month anniversary at The Cattitude approached. “She is an awesome cat and so sweet,” Brown said. “She had this little toy she bonded with. It was the only one she played with, and she would fetch it.”

Chanel also could be found on the Humane Society’s webpage in a special link that led to the cafe’s current occupants.

Nothing.

Then came Oct. 17 and that phone call.

The tearful voice in Brown’s ear said, “I think you have my stolen cat.”

Cattitude staff members have received similar calls, but after comparing those photos to the cats in question, the hopeful owners always were disappointed.

“But she described Chanel’s behaviors and mannerisms to a T, and there was no doubt in my mind,” Brown said. Even the interest in playing fetch matched.

The caller, Sioux Falls resident Amanda Golden, had been searching for her cat — Indyca or “Indy” for short — for weeks. Indy had been on Golden’s apartment balcony when she was taken in June.

Golden told Brown the prompt she always used to summon her cat, and Brown tried it: “IndyIndyIndyIndyIndy!” The faux-Chanel responded promptly.

“She came right up, and there was no denying she knew her name,” Brown said.

Here’s a look at the reunion.

Golden rarely goes on Facebook, but something prompted her to do so that day and to go to The Cattitude’s page. She spotted Indy immediately.

Brown’s next step was to call her contact at the Humane Society, and there she learned something amazing about the reunion’s timing. The Humane Society had received an application to adopt Chanel, but since the organization was closed that day, no one had responded.

“So we got a chance to get it sorted out, and the Humane Society did a return-to-owner thing with her,” Brown said.

“IndyIndyIndyIndyIndy,” a tearful Golden called out when she entered The Cattitude’s room where the cats are housed, and the ex-Chanel came up and graciously accepted the love lavished on her.

“There was not a dry eye in the room, that was so cool to see,” Brown said. Indy watched Golden “the longest time as she was coming in, and when she said “IndyIndyIndy,” the cat was on it. I’m like, oh, God, my heart. It was just amazing. It made me feel like I was watching somebody else’s life play out.”

Golden has had Indy since birth, and she also owned Indy’s parents. From the day Indy was born, four years ago Sept. 27, Indy has been family.

When Golden was done hugging Indy — at least for a while — she asked if she could give Brown a hug. Of course, Brown agreed. That’s when she learned the last twist to this cat tale.

“She looked at me and said, ‘My son was killed last week.’ I started crying and hugged her again,” Brown said. “She said she had been talking to her deceased son, like we do in grief, talking about ‘how am I going to get through this without Indy?’ And now everything worked out. An undeniable force is in work there.”

Indy is home now, warming up to the two new kittens Golden adopted in her absence. It shouldn’t take long, Brown thinks, since at The Cattitude Cafe, Chanel served as a mama cat, licking the kittens who came up to her.

Indy also has been reunited with Maize, Golden’s son’s dog. Maize may no longer have his owner, but he has his old pal. And if dogs and cats communicate — and don’t say they don’t — they’ll have a lot to say about grief and solace, about pain and joy.

And about reunions.