From Lucianne's Short Cuts
The cat came back
Skittles finds his way from Wisconsin Dells to Hibbing home
By AARON BROWN
The Daily Tribune
Last Updated: Monday, February 04th, 2002 02:07:12 PM
HIBBING -- What does it take for a lost cat named Skittles to find his way
through 353 miles of rough terrain, trekking three miles a day in the dead of
winter with wild animals and cars bearing down on him like an angry dog let
off its leash?
Answer: About 140 days. No catnip, no litter box, no Meow Mix -- just the
open road and an unflinching desire to be with his family.
On Jan. 14, Skittles, an affectionate two-year-old orange tabby cat, strolled
up to Charmin Sampson's home in Kelly Lake. Her son, Jason, not believing
his eyes, carried him into the house where the weary feline ate some food
and collapsed into the mother of all catnaps.
It was the first time the Sampsons saw Skittles since Labor Day -- in the
Wisconsin Dells area of southern Wisconsin.
"I knew it was Skittles," said Jason, 16. "The cat is orange, with white paws
and he's got a look to him -- a unique look."
Jason and his mom worked at a water park in Wisconsin Dells over the
summer, living in a trailer nearby with Skittles and their other cats. The cats
would frolic in nearby woods and when it came time to go home after the
summer tourism season, Skittles was missing. With school starting the next
day, they had to leave him behind.
"We called him and called him," Jason said. "We just couldn't find him."
When Charmin, a college student studying computer software programming,
came home from a day of classes at Hibbing Community College, her first
thought was that her son had adopted another stray.
"I yelled, 'Why is that cat here?'" Charmin explained. "I had told him no more
cats. But he said, 'No, look Mom, it's Skittles!'"
Sure enough, a closer inspection revealed the dingy cat with calloused paws
and protruding ribs was a neutered male that matched Skittles's coloring
flawlessly.
"You could tell he was hungry," Charmin said. "He ate some food and then
he laid down next to me and slept."
Two weeks later, Skittles has settled into his old routine. He plays with the
Sampson's family of cats, which includes his sister Yum-Yum and his uncle
and has reclaimed his favorite spot on the living room arm chair.
"He's still resting up," said Charmin. "He still talks, kind of growls, when he
eats and doesn't want the other cats around then. Some survival instincts are
still there I guess."
But he purrs and snuggles with the Sampsons and has yet to spar with his
fellow felines. His paws were badly injured, but they're finally healing.
To this day, no one knows how Skittles made it home.
"They (the cats) all went down in the back of the pickup truck," said
Charmin. "They were all in their cages and they all had blankets over the
cages, so they couldn't see out of the truck. I don't know how he would have
known which way was home."
It's almost enough, she joked, to make her bring Skittles to a pet psychic.
"They have that new show on (cable network) Animal Planet with the pet
psychic lady," said Charmin. "Normally I don't buy that kind of thing, but I'm
willing to try anything now. I'd like to hear Skittles tell the story."
Fortunately, Skittles had a relatively mild winter to contend with in central
Wisconsin. While stories of loyal pets crossing great distances to find their
owners have been told before, Charmin said she is still astounded by
Skittles's amazing journey.
"I've always heard about things like this, but never had anything like it happen
to me," she said.
While the Sampsons' cats are used to the freedom of going in and out of the
house at will, they rarely leave for more than a day.
They had a brief panic when Skittles stayed out overnight the first time they
released him last week, but he came home the next day.
"Sometimes I wish I had a little mini-camera on my cats to see where they
go," said Charmin.
For the Sampsons, the return of Skittles was like finding a long-lost child.
"After he was lost, I would watch TV and see that Tidy Cats ad with that
orange cat named Abner," said Charmin. "That cat looks just like Skittles
and I would say 'That's my Skittles. It was sad."
Coincidentally, Skittles returned the day after Charmin's birthday.
"It was a great present," she said. "I must be a good pet owner if he was
willing to come all that way."
So the Sampson family keeps a close watch on Skittles -- amazed at the
bizarre story, grateful to have him home.
"I've heard stories like this before, but never believed them," Jason said.
"Well, I believe them now."
-- Anonymous, February 06, 2002
