Missing Redding Cat Turns up 150 Miles Away in Sacramento
Stimpy the Cat is back home in Redding, CA after a thrilling hitchhiking adventure that landed him in an industrial park in Sacramento.
The 9-year-old house panther apparently stowed away on a delivery truck about 2 weeks ago.
His owner, Missy Patten, scoured every inch of her neighborhood when Stimpy went missing, but there was no sign of him. She’d given up hope of ever finding him.
“I was devastated,” she said. “I thought he was gone.”
Then out of the blue, she got a phone call from a man who claimed to have found Stimpy–about 150 miles away in Sacramento.
“I was like, ‘holy smokes,’ ” Patten said. “I was so excited.”
The man said he found Stimpy at an industrial park next to a business called PPG Auto Glass. He contacted Patten through the phone number on Stimpy’s tags. Patten owns an auto glass company in Redding, and PPG Auto Glass is one of Patten’s suppliers. A PPG Auto Glass driver was at Patten’s shop at the same time that Stimpy went missing.
“He must have gotten in the delivery truck by accident,” Patten guessed.
Patten immediately grabbed her purse and car keys and drove to Sacramento to pick up Stimpy, who was being held by employees at a business next to PPG Auto Glass.
Those employees had noticed a hungry, frightened Stimpy hanging around the day before and took him in and fed him until Patten’s arrival.
“He ate a ton of food,” according to Patten.
[LINK/PHOTO: Redding.com]
We are glad Stimpy was found and went back home. We like happy endings.
Hello Skeezy, We are so glad that Stimpy was safely returned to his home. The next time he hitches a ride, he should at least tell his family before he departs!!!!
Always good to see a Kitty home and safe.. I need to get tags for my kitty and hope she will wear them now as she is getting pretty old..
Poor buddy! I bet he’s going to think twice before hitching another ride.
I had to laugh that he hitched a ride, cats love to hide everywhere. I’ve almost mailed Ashley a few times. Luckily, I realized she was in the box. MOL! I’m so glad he found his way home!
So good to read a missing cat story that has a happy ending. I still look for my lost cats with little hope. What a relief for both Missy and Stimpy!
I almost hitched a ride myself!
Mom was outside clipping the roses and I was with her. The ice cream man came by and stopped and the local kids were buying ice cream. (There’s a step-up to the back of the ice cream truck to the counter.)
Of course I’m out there, I’m all friendly and talking to everyone I know…
Anyway, the kids got off the truck and the driver went back and started the truck up again and began to drive off, when mom noticed ME sitting up on the step up waiting at the counter!!!! She yelled over the music and the driver stopped and she went and got me.
…I just wanted an ice cream…
Anyway, Stimpy RULES and I’m glad he’s safe after his awesome adventure!!!