This old boy never had any reason to leave his posh home life, but somehow went through an open door by mistake. Morris found his curiosity leading him outdoors even though he had never really longed to be an outside kitty. Not really knowing his outdoor surroundings, instincts set in, and Morris began the search for shelter. Where that would be, no one knew.

In the meantime, his worried owner was frantically searching the neighborhood. With minimal teeth and no claws to defend himself it became more urgent to find him. But Morris remained hidden...and day turned into night, and nights turned into weeks.

On March 13, Norma contacted RVAS. Feeling hopeless, Norma was now reaching outside her demographics in hope that Morris would have shown up, perhaps, somewhere else.

"She was beside herself, as any pet owner would be," said Linda R. Blakely, Director of the Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary & Rescue. "She had all but given up hope, and just had nowhere else to turn as people in these situations often do." But Linda told Norma to never give up hope, and that Morris was most likely very close near by. Working together, Norma and RVAS began their Pet Alert! and the word was quickly spread along with several hundred flyers.

A family heard a strange "cry" under their deck. They had heard this same sound several days but when searching could not "pinpoint" where it was coming from. This time they could. Looking under the deck, they saw two frightened eyes. Carefully, they lured the cat out from under the deck, but there dog wanted nothing to do with the cat. They reluctantly contacted a local shelter, but the shelter told them they didn't rescue animals in that county. No further advice was given, so the family gave the cat to family friends who were willing to try and find it a good home.

But the new home's canine companion wanted nothing to do with a new feline friend, and so Morris found himself in the garage until the family could come up with a better solution that was safe and secure for Morris. The same week of Morris' arrival in, what appeared to be, his new home, the family went to the local Dairy Queen. The children immediately noticed the "missing" poster, and were convinced that the feline housed in their garage was, in fact, Morris!

On May 6 2009, two months later, the telephone call came, "I think we have the missing cat that is on the poster hanging in Dairy Queen," the voice said. Shannon quickly made the connection to meet with them and scan Morris to see if in fact, the microchip numbers matched. And they DID!

"Our Pet Alert! program works," says Linda R. Blakely. "It's the only program in Iowa that focuses on reuniting pets and their owners together, by 'doing what it takes' to make it happen. We just never give up on these lives that find themselves separated from their beloved homes," she continued.

"Two months I've worried and searched...I feel as if Norma is family, we've talked so much about this little guy,"Shannon stated.

Morris was returned to his owner, where he settled right back in, and appeared to be very happy to be home and safe! "Morris being reunited with is owner is no accident," Linda said. "Our Pet Alert! Program and it's volunteers go that 'extra' mile to find these lost lives and get them help and reunited. This is what saving lives is all about."

Microchipping and continually spreading the word, is what saved Morris' lives. Many times cats can remain hidden for days, sometimes weeks, coming out only at night. Morris had been hidden for quite some time, until he began crying for help. While lucky that he was heard, it was a group of individuals working together, who chose not to let the cries for help go unheard, that saved his life! We are proud of all of those people who stepped forward and were a part of this success story!