Cat Travels Nearly 1,000 Miles Home After Getting Lost in Yellowstone

A California couple was recently reunited with their beloved cat months after he ran off in Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone National Park / Unsplash

While taking a trip to Yellowstone National Park, a California couple was separated from their 2-and-a-half-year-old Siamese cat, Rayne Beau, after he ran off in the park.

The owners, Benny and Susanne Anguiano, spent several days searching the vicinity in hopes of locating their pet. After an unsuccessful search, the pair notified Yellowstone's park rangers of the missing cat.

The Anguiano's knew that the situation was out of their hands, but they did not give up hope. In a conversation with USA Today, Susanne stated, "... even as we were driving out, I had my window down. I'm still calling and we're still scanning the road. It was pretty traumatic."

Two months had passed when the pair received an unusual call from the Placer SPCA in Roseville, California, explaining that they had Rayne Beau under their care. After the couple requested a photograph of the cat to confirm he was theirs, they traveled to retrieve him.

It's believed that Rayne Beau traveled nearly 1,000 miles from Wyoming to California. Consequently, his paws took an immense beating and became calloused and cracked. Along his journey, he lost several pounds.

"We are ecstatic to have him back," Anguiano told CNN. "I look at him every day and am so grateful and tell him, 'Do you know how many weeks I had been praying to see that face again?'"

Fortunately, Rayne Beau was microchipped which made it possible for the Placer SPCA to contact his owners. The Anguiano's hope that this story encourages other pet owners to microchip their pets, too.

"You will do that [microchip and register your pets] if you ever want to see them again, because anything can happen. As careful as you can be, animals are animals and something can happen like with us, and they get away," Susanne stated.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in 2024, one in three pets will become lost in their lifetime. Additionally, it is estimated that only one in 50 lost cats in shelters are reunited with their families. When microchipped, two out of five cats were returned home.

While it will remain a mystery as to how Rayne Beau managed to travel such a long distance to California, his family is incredibly grateful to have him back in their home.