Cats Chef
📖 Table of Content:
In the bustling city of Indianapolis, shelter staff at IndyHumane see countless animals arrive at their doors — some abandoned, some lost, and others never given the love they deserve. But every once in a while, a story unfolds that touches even the most seasoned hearts.
That’s exactly what happened when a withdrawn cat named Foxy revealed her true identity: a beloved pet named November, who had been missing for over a year. This is the story of how a broken cat rediscovered hope, and how love carried her back into the arms of the person she thought she’d lost forever.
From a Clinic Doorstep to a Shelter Cage
November’s long journey began in the unlikeliest of places: the doorstep of a veterinary clinic. Frail, without identification, and clearly in need of help, she had been abandoned with no sign of her past life. With no microchip and no family to claim her, she was transferred to IndyHumane, where staff gave her the name Foxy.
Though shy, Foxy showed resilience. With proper care, she regained her strength and began adjusting to life in the shelter. Within a month, she was adopted, seemingly getting her chance at a forever home.
But fate wasn’t done testing her. Months later, Foxy was returned. And this time, the vibrant spirit she once showed seemed to dim completely.
“She just wasn’t doing well adjusting to shelter life again,” IndyHumane’s Jenna Habisch explained. “She kept to herself, didn’t want affection, and seemed to have lost trust in people.”
Staff members worried. Cats who retreat into themselves often struggle to find new families, as their sadness masks the loving personalities that lie beneath. For Foxy, things looked uncertain.
The Moment Everything Changed
Meanwhile, across town, a young woman named Erianna was scrolling through IndyHumane’s website. She wasn’t searching for just any cat. In her heart, she was still grieving the disappearance of November, her family’s cat who had gone missing over a year before. Despite everyone telling her to let go, she never truly gave up hope.
Then she saw Foxy’s picture.
The resemblance was uncanny — the same face, the same markings. But could it really be her November?
“My family kept trying to tell me that wasn’t her,” Erianna recalled. “But I genuinely knew deep down in my heart that she was my November.”
Unable to ignore her instincts, she gathered old photos of November and rushed to the shelter.
Recognition Beyond Doubt
When Erianna arrived at IndyHumane, the staff carefully compared her photos with Foxy. The details lined up: the coloring, the markings, even the approximate age. Still, everyone waited with bated breath for the cat’s reaction.
As Erianna approached Foxy’s kennel, something incredible happened. The aloof, withdrawn cat — who for weeks had shied away from affection — suddenly transformed. She perked up, leapt down from her perch, and pressed herself toward the door with eager recognition.
“The reaction I felt with her was so pure,” Erianna said. “I knew, just off that, she was my cat.”
In that moment, there was no doubt left. Foxy wasn’t just a nameless shelter cat. She was November, and she had found her person again.
Back Where She Belongs
With the mystery solved, the reunion was official. Foxy shed the name she had carried through her shelter days and became November once more. This time, though, she wasn’t leaving with uncertainty. She was going home.
“Since I’ve brought her home, her personality has flourished,” Erianna shared. “She’s exactly how I remember her. She means a lot to me. I’m so happy to have her back in my life.”
The timid, withdrawn cat who had given up on hope quickly bloomed again once surrounded by love. Her affectionate, playful side returned, reminding everyone that shelter life hadn’t defined her — it had only delayed her return to where she was always meant to be.
A Deeper Lesson in Love and Hope
November’s story highlights not just the bond between people and their pets, but also the importance of never giving up hope. Erianna could have easily listened to her family’s doubts. She could have assumed November was lost forever. Instead, she followed her heart — and in doing so, gave her cat the second chance she had been waiting for.
It’s also a reminder of the importance of microchipping. Without identification, cats like November can so easily slip through the cracks. Shelters do their best to reunite pets with their families, but without a clear link, the odds are stacked against them. November was lucky. Many others are not.
Still, in this case, love prevailed. And in Indiana, a shelter cat who had nearly given up rediscovered the face she thought she’d never see again.