Machesney Park Man Reunited with Cat After Offering $500 Reward

As pet parents, our furbabies escape from time to time, and some are so adventurous that they spend a little more time out exploring than others.

As a cat mom myself, I've opened my front door and my cats have dashed right out to get a taste of what the outside world is like. They never like it too much and find their way back into my house. For one Machesney Park cat, he decided to take his owners on a fun adventure to bring him home.

A family in Machesney Park was offering a $500 reward to anyone who could help bring their cat home safely. Honestly, this would be me as a pet parent. I'd offer up a reward, give my life, and literally do anything to find my babies, too.

Luckily, as I'm writing this, I see an update on Facebook that they've located their cat!

Machesney Park Family Reunited with Missing Cat After Offering $500 Reward

Over 200 shares in 24 hours, tons of help from the community, and so many suggestions on how to lure their baby back home, the owners found their cat about a half mile up the road from their house. He was just lying in someone's driveway, chillin'.

I know damn well it probably felt like an eternity.

If you're a cat parent and your furbaby decides to go on an impromptu adventure, there are a few ways to try and get them back home without searching day and night. I've done a few of these and they've worked a handful of times (yes, my cat Noodles loves to escape in the bushed next door lol).

Tips & Tricks To Try To Find A Lost Cat

Put their litter box outside so they can smell a familiar scent
Leave their favorite food, toys, or blankets on your porch
Post a photo in your Neighborhood Groups to keep a look out
Look next to your home, under your porch, or in bushes nearby
Put towels, sheets, or shirts that smell like you outside

Cats don't normally stray too far from home, especially when they're indoor cats.

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Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? Why do they have whiskers? Cats, and their undeniably adorable babies known as kittens, are mysterious creatures. Their larger relatives, after all, are some of the most mystical and lethal animals on the planet. Many questions related to domestic felines, however, have perfectly logical answers. Here’s a look at some of the most common questions related to kittens and cats, and the answers cat lovers are looking for.

Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Gallery Credit: Rachel Cavanaugh

Filed Under: Emily Evergreen, Found Cat, Illinois, Missing Cat, Rockford

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