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Horace, Lost Cat, Finds His Way Home After Three Weeks With Two Broken Legs

The Huffington Post  |  By Posted: 04/14/2012 5:57 pm Updated: 04/16/2012 6:32 pm

Kitty
Stock image, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

After almost three weeks of being missing, 18-month-old Horace the orange tabby cat managed to find his way back home again with two broken legs, the East Anglian Daily Times reports.

Thirty-eight-year-old owner and mother-of-three Kara Hayward told the paper she had almost given up hope of ever seeing their pet again.

"I began to put posters up ... I had a few phone calls but they turned out to be somebody else’s cats," Hayward told the East Anglian Daily Times. "I was watching a clip of Horace on my phone and it wasn’t doing my health any good, I was worrying about him."

Eighteen days after he had gone missing, however, Horace came hobbling through the family's door. Hayward told the paper they immediately took him to the animal hospital, where doctors were shocked at how long the cat had survived on his own in that condition. Eight more lives to go!

Back in 2008 something eerie similar occured -- after being missing for eleven days, Florida cat Giggle-Blizzard arrived home wincing on Thanksgiving with two broken legs, the Associated Press reports. After two operations, the kitty was issued a clean bill of health.

After a tornado in May of 2011 separated an Alabama dog, Mason, from his owners, they were at a loss as to how to find him. That is, until he made his way home with two legs broken days later, WBRC TV reports.

Since Mason's family lost their home in the storm and couldn't give him the recovery care he needed, they gave the pup to a local shelter in hopes that they would be eventually together again.

The image used in this entry is a stock photo, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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After almost three weeks of being missing, 18-month-old Horace the orange tabby cat managed to find his way back home again with two broken legs, the East Anglian Daily Times reports. Thirty-eight...
After almost three weeks of being missing, 18-month-old Horace the orange tabby cat managed to find his way back home again with two broken legs, the East Anglian Daily Times reports. Thirty-eight...
 
 
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Kim0330
Purr, and the world purrs with you...
01:26 PM on 04/18/2012
I'm glad that Horace ws able to find his way home. Let's hope that he lives a very long and happy life :-)
04:22 PM on 04/16/2012
A story of survival ................
Pets know when they are loved and that connection
with their "FAMILY" will guide them home ...... ; )
04:21 PM on 04/16/2012
Don't tell me that "pets" don't realize they are MEMBERS of the FAMILY !!!!!!
Many seem to have their own internal "GPS" home tracking devices ......
In this case, "GPS" has a new meaning "Good People Syndrome" .......... ; )
or perhaps "GREAT PETS SURVIVE" ............. ; )
10:20 AM on 04/16/2012
Amazing! My cat too went missing for a little over 2 weeks and she dragged herself home with a gunshot wound to her hip which dislocated her tail, paralyzed her back legs and messed up her insides. Unfortunately my Tilly had to be put down... So very happy for Horace and his family!!
Greenblue
Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stranger :P
02:18 PM on 04/16/2012
Sorry about your cat;(
what monster would do that to an animal? D:
05:19 PM on 04/16/2012
Many monsters out there when it comes to animals especially cats it seems to me...
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Kim0330
Purr, and the world purrs with you...
01:23 PM on 04/18/2012
So very sorry for your loss. :-(
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
10:08 AM on 04/16/2012
And I've heard many people say that cats show no love or devotion. Cats are wonderful creatures and they do know how to show love. Peace everyone.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vicky Lupo McDonald
09:41 AM on 04/16/2012
Such a happy new beginning for Horace! What a smart boy! I feel so bad he two broken legs, so thankful he found his way home... pretty amazing!
08:58 AM on 04/16/2012
Kisses for Horace!!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
commento
New Year, New Hopes
08:53 AM on 04/16/2012
Horace does not only have nine lives he is also a good navigator. Good for him.
Greenblue
Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stranger :P
02:19 PM on 04/16/2012
GPS kitteh! ◕‿◕
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
commento
New Year, New Hopes
02:34 PM on 04/16/2012
Greenblue, That's right. I bet he doesn't need to do "Recalculations" to get to his destination.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
08:52 AM on 04/16/2012
Micro-chip your animals!

It can save you a LOT of grief later. It's not expensive.. and my cats didnt' even flinch.
09:42 AM on 04/16/2012
Our Max the cat has been missing now for almost 4 wks! We are all so heartbroken, especially my 6 and 10 yr old kids. Max was so family oriented and full of personality-truly a cat like never before. He would actually play hide and seek with us! Would sit up on his hind quarters like a human all the time and always had to drink from a water faucet...never a bowl! Max was an outside access cat, is neutered and microchipped. We live in a very rural community of homes that has many a cat and dog. What I feel has happened is that someone has taken him in since he's so friendly and docile but what I don't understand is when people do this without first exhausting all efforts in returning a lost pet to their rightful owners first. We've posted several fliers with pictures, sent out 2 homeowners emails which go to like 300+ people, listed him on several shelter websites and Petfinders.com lost section and have driven around for what seems to be like a hundred times throughout our developement at various times of the day and night. Have gotten several phone calls about potential sitings which turn out to be "look alikes" but kudos to those people who are clearly pet lovers and understand. If you're out there, please come home to us Max.
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10:30 AM on 04/16/2012
You're doing all that you can... don't stop. I've heard of cats being found months later.. Don't forget posting his picture at the grocery, hair salons, drug store... don't just stick to "animal" places. Also some vet offices will let you post a flier there... From my experience, your biggest problem in rural areas is other wildlife getting him.

Don't stop looking... my heart goes out to you. Go home, Max... your family missed you!
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10:35 AM on 04/16/2012
Where are you located joybug? I belong to a lot of animal groups and I could put the flier out to them also... they do a lot of rescue too and you just never know.
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Angrykitteh
You're on double secret probation....
08:31 AM on 04/16/2012
Three weeks seems to be the "lucky" number. I had a cat that disappeared the day before a major snow storm. He's an indoor cat as we have too many natural predators (coyotes, hawks, etc) where I live. He was gone for three weeks. I had started to give up sure he didn't survive the storm.

He turned up at another house, just like mine, 2 miles away. The funny thing is he was crying at the "same" door we were sure he escaped through.

He was all bones, a little dehydrated, but the vet said he was just fine.

But did he learn his lesson? No. Almost four years later and he still tries to get out. Guess he had more fun than I thought. lol
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
hdhog12
08:24 AM on 04/16/2012
Keep your cats INDOORS !!!! RIP Sturgis xoxoxox
07:52 AM on 04/16/2012
I have 3 cats and Im glad he is ok Cats are the best
06:47 AM on 04/16/2012
The pain Horace must have been in with two broken legs... poor kitty. Glad he got home and will get the care that he needs, and hopefully he'll make a full recovery. Hang in there Horace...your angels are with you.
06:37 AM on 04/16/2012
I too love cats, I have 2. Once my cat (who is an indoor cat got out, by a very unkind roommate) . I couldn't eat or sleep for days. I searched, put up posters. Walked for days, and nights. Then one day I just went outside and started calling his name and out he came from under a balcony from my neighbors balcony!!! THANK GOD!!! I moved out soon after!!! I'm glad to hear such nice stories like these!!!!
06:10 AM on 04/16/2012
Our kitty (all black) came to us Halloween weekend....just appeared coming around the corner of our house...just a baby. Husband NOT a cat lover at all but...you should see them together..."Tigar" is smart, litter trained, comes & goes outside as he wants, roams our 2 acres. We have a Wheaten Terrier (3 yrs old) that thanks us daily for her new pal. It would be impossible to restrain him to the indoors (or cruel) as he is such a "big" hunter. Perfect companion for out Wheaton & my husband.