Cat Was Thought to be a Goner in California Mudslides. 3 Years Later, the ‘Miracle Cat’ Showed Up Again

We don’t know if cats really have nine lives, but the story of a Calico Calico named Patches is something of the song, ‘The Cat Came Back’, except for the “the next day” part.

The patches disappeared in January 2018 when a landslide demolished the home he shared with owner Josie Gower. Gower’s partner, Norm Borgatello, made it out alive. Gower, along with 22 other Santa Barbara residents, were not so lucky.

Gower’s loved ones assumed that Patches was “lost” too, but three years later, the cat returned.

After roaming the streets for a while, Patches ended up in the Animal Shelter Assistance Program. Thanks to a microchip registered in Gower’s name, shelter personnel were able to locate Gower’s daughter, Briana Haigh, who in turn alerted Borgatello to Patches’ miraculous return.

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When the cat and the man came together for a heartwarming New Year’s Eve reunion, Patches recognized Borgatello immediately. There was not a dry eye in the house.

Haigh says Patches’s appearance just before the third anniversary of her mother’s passing felt like a message from heaven. “I think it just warms the heart a bit,” Haigh said. NPR. “I know my mom would be very happy.”

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And as for the patches? It seems like she couldn’t stay away.

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