SOFT NEWS Stowaway cat shipped 650 miles from home in Amazon box

[packyderms_wife]

Stowaway cat shipped 650 miles from home in Amazon box​

The cat went for six days without food or water in the box until she was discovered by an Amazon employee. (KSL, CARRIE CLARK, CNN)

By KSL via CNN Newsource
Published: Apr. 25, 2024 at 2:50 AM CDT|Updated: 11 hours ago

LEHI, Utah (KSL) - A Utah couple’s missing cat was found more than 600 miles away after she was accidentally shipped out with an Amazon return.

Carrie Stevens Clark and her husband, Matt Clark, say their cat, Galena, has a guilty pleasure: she likes to hide in boxes.
“She’s a hider,” Stevens Clark said. “She loves to play in boxes. It’s just a part of her personality.”

But it got her into trouble April 10 when she mysteriously disappeared from the Clarks’ home in Lehi, Utah. The couple spent hours looking for any sign of their beloved cat.

“That was the worst part: we had no idea what happened,” Stevens Clark said. “We put tons of flyers up. We contacted friends and family to help us search. We searched for a whole week.”

Just as it seemed all hope was lost, the couple got a phone call last Wednesday – from a veterinarian in California. Galena’s microchip had been scanned 650 miles away near the city of Riverside.

“I just couldn’t even believe that she was in California. I thought it was a prank. It’s still hard to wrap my brain around,” Stevens Clark said.

It turned out that Galena had gotten trapped in an Amazon package her owners were using to return some shoes. She slipped inside the box while at home and managed to go undetected.

“We had no idea, so Matt took the package to the drop-off without knowing that our dear cat was inside,” Stevens Clark said.

Galena went six days without food or water in the box until she was discovered by an Amazon employee named Brandy. The employee took the cat under her care, even taking her to the vet, until she could be returned to her family.

“We are so thankful for Brandy and for everything that she did for our kitty,” Stevens Clark said.

As soon as the Clarks heard Galena had been found, they booked a flight to reunite with her the next day. They say the cat’s recovery was nothing short of miraculous.

Other than some mild dehydration, Galena was unharmed during her trip. The box she was in was split open enough to give her air, and the temperatures were such that she didn’t overheat or freeze. She is now home and back to her old self.

“It was just the best because I know that under other circumstances, she wouldn’t have been found. We’re just so happy to have her again,” Stevens Clark said.

Stevens Clark adds that she wants to encourage all pet owners to microchip their pets and “triple-check your Amazon boxes.”

Copyright 2024 KSL via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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Stowaway cat shipped 650 miles from home in Amazon box

The cat went for six days without food or water in the box until she was discovered by an Amazon employee.

www.firstalert4.com

 

[packyderms_wife]

Okay something doesn't add up with this story, every cat I've ever had would have clawed their way out of a cardboard box, no way no how were they going to stay locked in a cardboard box. And the cat didn't meow, or move around when being moved from place to place??? Heck I can barely keep mine in their plastic carriers when we take them to the vet, Nellie has figured out how to work the door latch.

 

[Meemur]

My kitty would've put up a loud fuss if anyone picked up her box while she was in it.

Yeah, I wonder about this story, too, PW. However, some people really are that air-headed.

 

[packyderms_wife]

My kitty would've put up a loud fuss if anyone picked up her box while she was in it.

Same, Frankie would have gone through the side of the box like the Kool Aid man goinig through a wall! Nellie would be clawing her way out while furiously howling letting you know that you are subpar as a species for locking her in a box, lol.

 

[Southside]

My cats never go in boxes. They don't scratch or jump on furniture, cabinets or tables.
Basically, act like dogs.

Interesting creatures.

 

[Signwatcher]

Okay something doesn't add up with this story, every cat I've ever had would have clawed their way out of a cardboard box, no way no how were they going to stay locked in a cardboard box. And the cat didn't meow, or move around when being moved from place to place??? Heck I can barely keep mine in their plastic carriers when we take them to the vet, Nellie has figured out how to work the door latch.

Like I would have noticed that the box was heavier than it should have been...

 

[packyderms_wife]

My cats never go in boxes. They don't scratch or jump on furniture, cabinets or tables.
Basically, act like dogs.

Interesting creatures.

Could your cats train mine please!

 

[Elza]

Like I would have noticed that the box was heavier than it should have been...

No kidding! The lightest cat I have weighs 7 pounds. I do believe that I would have noticed a pair of shoes weighing that much.

 

[Griz3752]

Okay something doesn't add up with this story, every cat I've ever had would have clawed their way out of a cardboard box, no way no how were they going to stay locked in a cardboard box. And the cat didn't meow, or move around when being moved from place to place??? Heck I can barely keep mine in their plastic carriers when we take them to the vet, Nellie has figured out how to work the door latch.

Pretty much my experience w/ cats but we only ever had garden variety tabby cats when I was a kid. None of them would have put up with being 'entrapped' in that fashion.

I think I'm in the chorus with Ms Packy on this not ringing quite true.

 

[Southside]

Could your cats train mine please!

They were 6 weeks feral when we got them. 2 brothers, 17 years ago. one took 4 years before he would let me touch him. the other 7. They were outdoor/indoor cats, coming inside only on the worst days in the winter. I built them a 2 story cat house under the deck. Even heated. There is only 1 of them left, and he is mostly indoors(like 70% of the time) I am amazed they both lived as long as they have.

 

[FireDance]

Like I would have noticed that the box was heavier than it should have been...

This was my first thought. Maybe we should sic CPS on ‘em. Really very odd. I can see the cat maybe not shifting weight because of box size/packing materials, but well. I don’t know, cats ARE very interesting.

 

[Dennis Olson]

 

[Hawkgirl_70]

...and another thing. She had to have gone to the bathroom MANY TIMES. There's no way a cat would lay that long in their own "mess" unless they were very sick. There's no way I believe this story of a cat staying still in a small box in their own **** for 6 days, plus not be crying and clawing to get out from hunger.

 

[Profit of Doom]

Samson and Charlie are “self-loading” cats. Open the carriers and they will walk in. Had them with me and let them loose in the car while wife and SIL went to the bank. Came time to put them back, they were in the carriers.

 

[greysage]

Would people drug their cat, place it in a return, then ship it off, just to see what happens?
Or for attention?
Knowing that it may not be a happy ending and it could kill their kitty?
All a sick stunt?

I can imagine anything. Especially a cat crawling into a box. Even getting taped shut in said box.
Harder to imagine that the husband didn't think the package was heavier than should be.
The cat didn't make a peep or move or scratch when husband carried it. The same goes for the shipper.
Often return shipping is a prepaid label, seems like Amazon or vendor would only create for the estimated postage. Not an additional 8 pounds of cat.

It's certainly a story. Glad the cat was ok. But I think the cat should run off and not comeback.

 

[wlf0wtr]

I'm having a hard time believing the cat went 6 days with no water and was only "mildly dehydrated".

 

[Creedmoor]

Not a chance this is legit. Cats like boxes. A lot. But not if you close the lid! Our smallest cat is 10 lbs. my heaviest pair of hunting boots is 3 and a half pounds. Anyone not trying to pull a hoax would notice a three fold increase in package weight. The pee alone over that amount of time would have disintegrated the box enough for the cat to get out. Not to mention the very noticeable smell. I call utter bullshit!

 

[Profit of Doom]

 

[packyderms_wife]

I'm having a hard time believing the cat went 6 days with no water and was only "mildly dehydrated".

Same and talk about a sour attitude once released from their prison!

 

[Countrymouse]

Okay something doesn't add up with this story, every cat I've ever had would have clawed their way out of a cardboard box, no way no how were they going to stay locked in a cardboard box. And the cat didn't meow, or move around when being moved from place to place??? Heck I can barely keep mine in their plastic carriers when we take them to the vet, Nellie has figured out how to work the door latch.

Nope--I get it.

We had a cat that loved to climb into workmen's trucks parked in our driveway if they left the doors open--so we always had to have plumbers and HVAC guys check their vehicles out before they left to make sure little stowaway wasn't with them.

Another cat snuck into my truck--which I normally Don't Drive--and I didn't find the poor thing until 3 days later! Thank God it wasn't summer so he didn't get over-heated in there---but WHEW the truck sure did stink for a LONG time after!

 

[Countrymouse]

I'm having a hard time believing the cat went 6 days with no water and was only "mildly dehydrated".

Nine lives. It's real.

 

[Profit of Doom]

Nine lives. It's real.

 

[subnet]

As a kid we moved to Oregon and our cat was in one of those cardboard carriers, in the back of a van...it clawed its way out and we could see it as we drove behind as it sat at one of the back door windows...then there was the materess that flew off the top and floted down a river

Good times

 

[Profit of Doom]

As a kid we moved to Oregon and our cat was in one of those cardboard carriers, in the back of a van...it clawed its way out and we could see it as we drove behind as it sat at one of the back door windows...then there was the materess that flew off the top and floted down a river

Good times

 

[wlf0wtr]

All the pet/vet sites are saying that cats can only live @3 days with no water so I'm still not convinced. If Fluffy had a stash of wet food in the box I'd be more likely to believe it.

 

[Countrymouse]

All the pet/vet sites are saying that cats can only live @3 days with no water so I'm still not convinced. If Fluffy had a stash of wet food in the box I'd be more likely to believe it.

I googled "cat miraculously survives" and found dozens of stories.

Here's one where a cat lived in a dresser of its burned-out apartment home for weeks until found...

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2013/06/01/dnt-cat-miraculously-survives-fire.wcpo

 

[wlf0wtr]

I googled "cat miraculously survives" and found dozens of stories.

Here's one where a cat lived in a dresser of its burned-out apartment home for weeks until found...

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2013/06/01/dnt-cat-miraculously-survives-fire.wcpo

It probably collected all the water from the fire hose so it had something to drink!
Just kidding - my favorite cat survival story was the video of the cat jumping out the window of the high rise building to escape a fire. Then it just ran off like nothing happened.

 

[BuffaloJo]

The news had a picture of the box-it must have been more than one pair of shoes as the box was something like almost 3 foot square.

 

[Profit of Doom]

Tamara has a story of her cat getting trapped in the neighbors garage for six days, I think. Very thirsty.

 

[zeker]

They were 6 weeks feral when we got them. 2 brothers, 17 years ago. one took 4 years before he would let me touch him. the other 7. They were outdoor/indoor cats, coming inside only on the worst days in the winter. I built them a 2 story cat house under the deck. Even heated. There is only 1 of them left, and he is mostly indoors(like 70% of the time) I am amazed they both lived as long as they have.

I had mamacat for 20 yrs

and her baby for 19

best cats I ever had

maine coons

 

[Greenspode]

People die after 3 days with no water too.....and yet there are hundreds and thousands of stories about people being pulled from earthquake debris, or being trapped in vehicles after an accident, etc., and living for much longer than that.

We had a cat disappear one time for 9 days. Neighbor found her in his raccoon trap in his old dairy barn. The minute he opened the trap, she headed home in a hurry. She was filthy, hungry, very, very, thirsty, and had lost probably half her weight, but she was fine.

I have no trouble believing this story. My cats have all loved boxes, and I could easily see one getting packed up and shipped somewhere. If they were scared enough about what was happening they would certainly hunker down and go silent.

 

[Southside]

People die after 3 days with no water too.....and yet there are hundreds and thousands of stories about people being pulled from earthquake debris, or being trapped in vehicles after an accident, etc., and living for much longer than that.

We had a cat disappear one time for 9 days. Neighbor found her in his raccoon trap in his old dairy barn. The minute he opened the trap, she headed home in a hurry. She was filthy, hungry, very, very, thirsty, and had lost probably half her weight, but she was fine.

I have no trouble believing this story. My cats have all loved boxes, and I could easily see one getting packed up and shipped somewhere. If they were scared enough about what was happening they would certainly hunker down and go silent.

The one we have left went missing for 176 days, right after being spayed. We went on vacation, and when we came back, he was sitting on the cat tower.

Never missed a day since.

 

[Creedmoor]

The one we have left went missing for 176 days, right after being spayed. We went on vacation, and when we came back, he was sitting on the cat tower.

Never missed a day since.

You spayed a male cat?

 

[Southside]

You spayed a male cat?

Yea, sorry, incorrect term. Ain't mine, they're the wife's.
I just feed them & let them out. You know, a servant.

 

[Profit of Doom]

You spayed a male cat?

He identified as female after that.

 

[Creedmoor]

Yea, sorry, incorrect term. Ain't mine, they're the wife's.
I just feed them & let them out. You know, a servant.

Yeah, that’s how it works with cats.

 

[Southside]

Yeah, that’s how it works with cats.

But, I love these guys(yes, 1 is gone) cause I can leave their favorite food, ham, on the counter and leave for an hour and it is still there when I get back.

I can even feed them just a little bit, and show them where it is, and they won't touch it while we're gone.
Simply amazing!

 

[Creedmoor]

We have one cat that compulsively steals muffins.

 

[Southside]

We have one cat that compulsively steals muffins.
View attachment 472191

So cute!

 

[packyderms_wife]

We have one cat that compulsively steals muffins.
View attachment 472191

We have a tomato thief! I blame it on our CSA share we had last. year, somehow he discovered how good home grown tomatoes tasted and now you can't keep him away from any fresh tomatoes.