Family’s Beloved Feline, Sarin, Embarks on an Unexplained 793-Mile Journey
When Jeni Owens’ cherished cat, Sarin, disappeared from their home in Topeka, Kansas, three years ago, it left her children shedding “a lot of tears.”
“Mom, why can’t we find her,” lamented Owens’ then 6-year-old daughter.
Despite their efforts, Sarin remained elusive, prompting the family to eventually welcome another cat, Amelia, into their lives.
So, it came as an astonishing surprise to the family when, earlier this month, Owens received a call informing her that Sarin had been found and was in good health. What added to the astonishment was the revelation that the feline had turned up near Kline, a rural community west of Durango, spanning an astonishing 793 miles from Topeka.
“I’ve never been to Colorado – ever – so I don’t know how she got there,” Owens expressed.
The intricacies of Sarin’s improbable journey may forever remain a mystery, but Owens and her children are eagerly anticipating their reunion with their long-lost pet, scheduled for Thursday. American Airlines, in collaboration with La Plata County Humane Society volunteer Cathy Roberts, is generously covering the cost of flying Sarin back to Topeka.
Sarin originally vanished from Jeni Owens’ residence in Topeka, Kansas, in October 2020. “I assumed that either a fox got her or somebody else picked her up,” Owens recalled.
Sarin, the Owens family’s first pet, had been a part of their lives for approximately a year and a half before her disappearance. Although primarily an indoor cat, Sarin was known to occasionally venture outside. But one day in October 2020, she simply didn’t return home.
“I assumed that either a fox got her or somebody else picked her up,” Owens stated.
Nearly three long years passed before Sarin resurfaced on County Road 136, making her way to the LPCHS (La Plata County Humane Society) as a stray on August 29. The diligent volunteers there scanned her for a microchip, a step that eventually led them to contact Owens.
“That’s why you microchip your pets,” emphasized Roberts. “Not only do you microchip them, but you keep the information up to date.”
When Roberts conveyed the news to Owens that LPCHS had located Sarin, the initial reaction was disbelief. “What cat?” Owens inquired.
Soon, however, the shock gave way to another challenge. The considerable distance between Topeka and Durango meant Owens would have to take time off work and secure accommodation if she intended to retrieve Sarin.
Cathy Roberts swiftly took action. She reached out to Durango-La Plata County Airport Director Tony Vicari, who, in turn, contacted United and American Airlines. Remarkably, American Airlines agreed to transport Sarin back to Kansas.
Owens and her now 9-year-old daughter are eagerly awaiting the reunion with Sarin at Kansas City International Airport, set for Thursday afternoon.
“We’re all ready for her to come home,” Owens exclaimed.
