“It was just very hard because he’s just one of my best friends,” shared Alison Flitton, reflecting on the distressing period following the disappearance of her beloved cat, Mittens. Her despair was palpable as she recounted the experience. With tears in her eyes, she said, “When I lost him I just never thought I’d see him again.” Mittens vanished four months prior when Alison’s family transported their boat from Mountain Green to Salt Lake for repairs. Unbeknownst to them, Mittens had stowed away under the boat’s cover, fleeing into the unknown once the mechanics uncovered his hiding spot. “I thought about him a lot. I did give up hope,” Alison admitted, the pain of loss weighing heavily on her.
No one could have prepared Alison and her family for Mittens’ clever actions after he ran away. Mittens embarked on an incredible journey, traversing mountains to cover nearly 30 miles from Salt Lake to Park City. His unexpected arrival in Alice Polio’s yard marked the end of his arduous journey. “I really think he is a miracle cat,” said Karl Pryor, a veterinarian at Park City Animal Clinic who attended to Mittens’ injured feet. Pryor marveled at Mittens’ remarkable sense of direction through such perilous terrain, stating, “The fact that he was able to get through Salt Lake City to the mountains and head the right direction. I mean, there’s so many directions to go,” attesting to the extraordinary nature of Mittens’ odyssey.
Pryor believed that Mittens was determined to find his way back home. The vet discovered Mittens had a microchip, enabling him to contact Alison’s family and facilitate a heartwarming reunion. Alison, who had endured the anguish of loss, now wept tears of elation, overwhelmed by the joy of having Mittens back in her life. This extraordinary tale of endurance and the unwavering bond between a cat and his family underscores the miraculous journey of Mittens, a cat whose remarkable adventure brought him back into the arms of his best friend.
