Cat lost in Ontario 6 years ago reunited with owner in Edmonton

WATCH ABOVE: An Edmonton woman has been reunited with her cat six years after the pet went missing in Ontario.

EDMONTON — A 24-year-old Edmonton woman has been reunited with her pet cat nearly six years after the animal went missing in Ontario.

“It’s kinda cool that she’s still alive,” said Amanda Graham.

It was a tear-filled reunion at the Edmonton International Airport Saturday morning as Graham held Cleo in her arms for the first time in years. The Calico cat went missing while Graham was going to school in Ontario.

“She just liked being outside and just kept getting out and not coming back,” Graham said. “And then the last time we just didn’t find her and assumed the worst.”

Graham eventually returned to Alberta.

WATCH: Raw video of Amanda Graham’s tearful reunion with Cleo the cat.

Last fall, an extremely malnourished Cleo was found by an animal enforcement agency in Ontario. Cleo was eventually taken in by Stuck in the Mud Animal Rescue and when the animal was taken to get spayed, staff at the veterinary clinic noticed she was tattooed.

The tattoo was traced back to Edmonton and staff used Facebook to eventually get in contact with Graham. A fundraiser was held to pull together enough cash to fly Cleo and a couple staff members to Edmonton this weekend. An Edmonton man saw the efforts and pitched in his Air Miles to the cause.

“I thought right away, there’s something I can do to make a difference,” said Richard Guyom. “The reward when I saw Amanda cry was more than you could put a number on.”

Graham couldn’t be more appreciative of the strangers’ efforts.

“They’re just incredible – all these nice people doing this amazing thing for someone they don’t even know,” she said.

Graham took Cleo home Saturday, where she hopes her dog will give her a warm welcome.

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