Losing a beloved pet is like losing a piece of your heart — a furry, purring, occasionally judgmental piece that always seems to know when you’re having a bad day and need a cuddle (or when you’re trying to use the bathroom in peace, but that’s beside the point).
It’s a feeling that TikToker Olivia (@olivia.mathers) knows all too well, having endured months of searching for her lost feline friend, Haukie. After months of tireless searching, which involved a mysterious disappearance and conflicting stories, Olivia has finally been reunited with her beloved female Bengal cat, Haukie. The tearful reunion, captured in a heartwarming post, showcases Olivia hugging her long-lost companion.
It all began on Saturday, April 27, when Haukie vanished without a trace in Brisbane, Australia. Olivia, like any devoted pet parent, immediately sprang into action. She thought someone had taken her cat and maybe wanted to sell her. So, she asked her followers online to keep an eye out around Gold Coast and Brisbane, hoping someone would spot Haukie. The TikToker later alleged that her neighbors were involved.
Her neighbors first told her they thought Haukie was a stray and decided to take her to a local animal pound to help find her owner. Olivia checked this story by visiting the pound herself. The staff at the pound had no record of Haukie ever being there, which raised a big red flag. Confused and frustrated, Olivia pressed her neighbors for more information. Their story changed several times, which made things even more suspicious. At one point, they said Haukie had escaped near the pound, and another time, they claimed she jumped out of their car before they even got to the pound!
In one of her TikTok posts, Olivia claimed they have shown no remorse for what happened and have refused to share their names or any information on Olivia’s social media. Furthermore, Haukie had lived with her for four years and wouldn’t simply escape from a car just two houses away and not come home. This made Olivia feel like they were hiding something.
Finally, however, after months of searching, worrying, and asking around, Olivia received a tip that Haukie had been spotted at a stranger’s house. It took a lot of patience and help from the community, but Olivia and Haukie are back together. As for what role the neighbors ultimately had in the cat’s disappearance, it remains unclear. Were they just really bad at communicating? We may never know.
Olivia’s loyal followers were right there with her through the ups and downs. They flooded her comment section with well-wishes and shared their own heart-wrenching tales of lost cats. One poor soul’s cat went MIA for weeks after their roommate pulled a “whoopsie” and let it out. Another’s cat straight up disappeared for TWO YEARS before waltzing back in like nothing happened. Good for them, I suppose!
A third user shared how they spent weeks shaking treat bags in vain hopes of luring their cat back:
“I have lost my cat for 2 weeks. my husband has search everywhere within the neighbourhood parameter .even shaking his treat in hope he would hear .Almost give up until one day my husband saw him in.”
The struggle is real, y’all. The harsh reality is that pets go missing all the time. In fact, a whopping 10 million pets are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year (via the American Veterinary Medical Association). That’s like the entire population of New York City just vanishing.
There are steps you can take to keep your cat safe and increase the chances of a reunion if they do go on an unauthorized adventure. Microchipping, ID tags, and keeping them indoors can all help.
Here’s a tip given by one user on Olivia’s post:
“Tip for anyone adopting a cat- get an airtag collar, use the sound ping feature, and give them treats whenever you ping it. I’ve found my lost cat multiple times bc she knows to come when she hears it.”
And if the worst does happen, don’t lose hope – keep searching, put up posters, and don’t refrain from pestering your neighbors until they crack under the pressure (okay, maybe don’t do that last one). Remember, we’re all in this crazy cat club together.