Missing Wheaton Foster Cat Found Safe After 10-Hour Disappearance

WHEATON, IL — Anyone who owns a cat knows that those beloved felines can be pretty wily. One cat's antics recently had a foster family in Wheaton pretty worried after the kitty was missing from their home more than 10 hours on one of the coldest days of the year.

Mouse, as the elusive cat is aptly named, is normally friendly and sociable, Angelica Staniszewska, founder of Chicago Animal Advocates, that's why the family fostering the cat became concerned when Mouse was nowhere to be found early Tuesday morning. Staniszewska said they thought Mouse had sneaked outside.

Staniszewska told Patch it is extremely rare for Mouse, an adorable white and gray "American Curl" cat, to go unseen for even a few hours is "NOT like her." They searched the home for Mouse, but hours later there was still no sign, so Staniszewska put a call up on the Chicago Animal Advocates Facebook page.

The frigid weather had Staniszewska and the family worried for the cat's well-being.

"We just took in a [different] cat that was frozen to the ground, she was in rough shape and all we could think about was that this was happening to [Mouse] too."

Luckily, Mouse was safe and sound, likely up in the ceiling of the home's laundry room, the only spot they couldn't see back into, Staniszewska said.

"She finally graced us with her presence about 45 minutes ago after not being seen for 10 hours," Staniszewska said.

She added that the family was worried about whether they'd still be able to adopt Mouse after her "escape." Staniszewska told them not to worry.

After all, cats will be cats.

Chicago Animal Advocates is a humane 501 (c)(3) that serves Chicago and Chicagoland by caring for and rehoming pets in a no-kill shelter environment.

>>Image via Chicago Animal Advocates, Angelica Staniszewska; used with permission