By Alyce CollinsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberHearts have been melted after a childhood cat who appeared to have gone missing three years ago has finally returned to his owner.
In a now viral Reddit post, user u/buttonscouture explained that their childhood cat named Charlie was a tom cat who would disappear for a couple of months at a time. He would go off on adventures for a while before returning home, so it wasn’t overly concerning whenever it happened.
During one of Charlie’s escapades, his owner sadly had to move home and wasn’t sure if they’d ever reunite. Even after moving out, the Reddit poster continued working on the house and still didn’t see Charlie nearby.
“We never found Charlie. I think we was out finding females like he usually did. He was always disappearing for a month or two before coming back for a while,” the Reddit post reads.
...Three years after moving to a home “on a branching street,” u/buttonscouture was stunned to see who was waiting outside.
Writing online, they explained that their brother alerted them to “cat outside” that immediately started meowing. The Reddit user was stunned and had no hesitation that it was Charlie.
“The same scars, the same markings, the same meow. I can’t believe this honestly, but its 100% him,” they wrote on Reddit.
After being welcomed in, Charlie instantly made himself comfortable and wandered into the bedroom. The duo didn’t waste any time before settling in for some long-awaited cuddles.
Indeed, u/buttonscouture added that they hadn’t been feeling themselves lately and were struggling to get out of bed. But after reuniting with Charlie after all this time, they can’t help but feel “so happy.”
The user posted on Reddit about the moment their childhood cat found them, and it’s melted hearts across the internet. In just a matter of days, the post has gone viral with over 11,000 votes and more than 280 comments at the time of writing.
While it’s still unknown where Charlie had been for all that time or what he was doing, his owner is just delighted to have him home now. As the poster’s new home isn’t too far from the previous one, they suggested that Charlie may have “picked up [their] scent.”
The owner also plans to do their due diligence by getting Charlie checked over by a vet to ensure he’s well overall.
Charlie’s remarkable return has captured plenty of attention online—after all, who doesn’t love a happy ending?
Hundreds of internet users took to the comments to share their reactions to the story. One commenter wrote: “Stop! This is making me cry.”
Another Reddit user replied: “That's remarkable OP! He has such distinct markings too so you really can be sure it is him. How wonderful. I'm so happy for you!”
Another person added: “It’s such a gift that he managed to find you. I hope you can keep him safely indoors and shower him with love for the rest of his life.”
While one comment reads: “He’s yours again. Make him an inside cat and don’t let him wander.”
Newsweek has reached out to u/buttonscouture for comment. We couldn't verify the details of the case.
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