Twelve-day search in Westborough ends happily for Honey the cat

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Twelve-day search in Westborough ends happily for Honey the cat
Emily Sperber was reunited with her missing cat, Honey, who was gone for 12 days. (Photo/Maureen Sullivan)

WESTBOROUGH – Honey didn’t have much to say of her 12-day odyssey through the neighborhood.

Her owners, on the other hand, had a lot to say. They are grateful that their cat is home and safe, and they are grateful to the neighbors, friends and strangers who helped in the search.

“This was a wonderful community effort. The community solved this,” said Emily Sperber.

The whole thing began on the evening of Feb. 18, when Tim and Emily Sperber had friends over at their Beach Street home. 

Honey and her brother, Pepper, are both indoor cats. They like to hang out in the covered porch, and the door to the outside is usually closed.

Usually.

The Sperbers believed that on that particular evening, some of the guests may have left the door ajar, which allowed Honey to get out.

The following morning, when both cats are “front and center” for breakfast, the family discovered that Honey was gone.

The house is on the edge of Cedar Swamp, where coyotes, bobcats and fisher cats have been sighted.

Emily made posters and posted on social media, including a neighborhood Facebook group. The Sperbers also reached out to local businesses and the library.

“This is the megaphone I needed,” she said.

The response was immediate and incredible. Neighbors and even strangers joined the Sperbers in the search for Honey.

Someone suggested that the family contact Wandering Paws, a professional pet-finding service.

“I called on Tuesday, and they came on Thursday,” said Emily. 

As the search went on, she began to think that Honey was the victim of a predator, and that “if she’s gone, it will give you some closure.”

“Honey’s very special to me,” she added.

Wandering Paws arrived with thermal drones and a German shepherd named Harper.

“The drones did a thorough search in that it eliminated possibilities,” said Emily. “They were so professional.”

There was hope when Harper caught Honey’s scent underneath a nearby porch. However, the cat was not there.

Just when the Sperbers began to think Honey would not be returning, they received a text from a neighbor on the morning of Thursday, March 2.

The text came with a video from a motion-sensor camera, and it showed a cat walking across the yard.

It was Honey.

“It was amazing … a cloud lifted off my head,” said Emily.

Wandering Paws returned, and they explored the area around Forbes Street. Although they didn’t find the cat, they were positive that Honey was hiding. So they left a trap and a trail camera.

“The neighbors at Forbes were really invested,” said Emily. “They were wonderful and very compassionate.”

The following morning, the Sperbers found Honey waiting at their door, meowing.

She was taken to the vet. Aside from losing about 1.5 pounds, Honey did not look like she had been outdoors for nearly two weeks.

“She was in such good shape … no scratches or anything,” said Emily. 

She thinks that Honey may have been chased off by a predator and lost her way. Honey may have “smelled” her way back because of the scents left by her owners while they searched for her.

Emily posted her thanks on Facebook to everyone who helped, including Wandering Paws.

“I’m really glad she’s back,” she said.

To avoid a similar incident, the Sperbers are looking into air tags, which come equipped with GPS trackers.

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