VALLEY CENTER, Calif. — What began as a routine pet-sitting arrangement turned into a 45-day nightmare for Teagan Maddux when her beloved cat, Moose, escaped into the night—only to be found in a dramatic reunion on the feline’s second birthday.
A Freak Accident Leads to a Desperate Search
Maddux was traveling in Colorado last month when she received the distressing news: Moose, her adventurous tabby, had bolted from her parents’ San Diego home after the family dog accidentally let her out.
“It was a complete freak accident,” Maddux recounted in a TikTok video, where she pleaded with locals to help find her missing pet. The next day, she rushed back to California, fearing the worst.
“If you’ve ever lost a pet, you know how difficult it is,” she said. “This has been one of the worst weeks of my life.”
From Shelter Cat to Adventure Companion
Maddux first met Moose as a timid kitten at a Santa Cruz animal shelter, where the feline had been overlooked for a month. “She was the most scared cat in the whole place,” Maddux recalled. But once home, Moose’s bold personality emerged.
Living in a truck camper with her partner, Casey, Maddux frequently explored the outdoors—and Moose thrived as their “adventure cat,” joining them on hikes and road trips.
Weeks of Heartbreak—and Hope
For over a month, Maddux and Casey exhausted every tactic to lure Moose back: food traps, litter box scents, and even strategically placed dirty laundry. Trail cameras captured fleeting glimpses of the skittish cat, but she remained just out of reach.
After 12 days without a sighting, hope was fading—until Moose’s second birthday, when a trap finally secured her.
A Tearful Reunion
Maddux rushed Moose inside, where the exhausted cat initially seemed disoriented. “Then she snapped out of feral mode and remembered us,” Maddux said. “She can’t stop purring.”
Though thinner and flea-ridden, Moose is recovering. For Maddux, the relief is overwhelming. “Everything makes sense again,” she said.
The story, documented on TikTok and Instagram, has resonated with pet owners worldwide. Maddux’s message to others? “Don’t lose hope.”
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