A Connecticut family that had nearly given up hope of finding their missing cat got the happy ending few pet owners ever expect when a social media post from another state led to a reunion 571 days later.
Turtle, a Nebelung cat who vanished from his Greenwich home in March 2025, took quite a long journey. He was ultimately found in Mamaroneck, New York — about 10 miles away, as WABC reported.
Here's what to know
WABC, in a report carried by KBTX, said Turtle's identity was ultimately confirmed through his microchip after a long search filled with clues and setbacks. Before he disappeared, Turtle lived with Kelly Moore in Greenwich after Moore's daughter first took him in while she was in Tennessee; he was already microchipped and neutered, as shown by his tipped ear.
Moore said Turtle got out during a rushed moment at home.
"I was rushing out so fast I startled him, and he ran," Moore said. "I love him so much, and it was just a comedy of errors."
What began as a local search in Connecticut ended with Turtle being identified in neighboring New York through his microchip and a public post about a found cat.
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More background
To find out whether Turtle had stayed close to the Greenwich home, Moore asked Rocket Lost Pet Rescue for help, and founder Rocco Autero set up cameras around the property. The cameras picked up footage of the cat.
"And he was actually. He was showing up. He came by here every night. We caught him on video… but he was afraid of cages," Autero said.
Even with proof that Turtle was still nearby for a time, catching him safely was no easy feat because he stayed away from the cages.
Eventually, there were no more sightings, a stretch Moore said was devastating.
"I cried so many nights, and I felt responsible because not being aware of the storm door. We were really brokenhearted," she said.
Autero said the eventual recovery was unusual even for someone experienced in lost pet cases.
"It's shocking that he was found, and he traveled a long distance, a lot further than we've seen many cats go," he said of Turtle's journey to Mamaroneck.
What's being done?
Rocket Lost Pet Rescue helped search for Turtle: using cameras, Autero confirmed the cat had been moving around the Greenwich property and kept monitoring for signs that he was still nearby.
A social media post about a found cat in Mamaroneck became the key lead. After seeing it, Autero began to suspect the New York animal might be Turtle, linking the found-cat report to the Connecticut case.
The match was confirmed when they checked Turtle's microchip. He still needed some persuading before going into a carrier, but that final step got him safely back to Greenwich.
After Turtle made it home, Moore said:
"If this can happen, anything can happen. It's so wonderful, and I'm so happy to have him back."
Where can I learn more?
Turtle's unlikely return is one of several recent stories of animal recovery and rediscovery. Others include a cat reunited after years apart, a conservation dog at work, and several remarkable turtle finds.
• A California cat vanished for seven years before flying 2,500 miles home to Florida.
• On Long Island, a 16-month-old Lab is sniffing out box turtles as sightings decline.
• In Hue, Vietnam, a resident found a rare four-eyed turtle in the yard.
• In Massachusetts, an alligator snapping turtle appeared in a pond after abandonment.
• In the Philippines, a critically endangered turtle returned to the wild after decades.
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