Heidi Wiegel, owner of Whimsical Whiskers CatFae & Rescue in Uniontown, Ohio, announced that 16 cats have gone missing after they managed to claw out a window screen that had been inadvertently left open. According to Wiegel, one cat's actions led 18 others to escape from the shelter located on Cleveland Ave NW.
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Wiegel expressed her concern, noting that this incident is akin to a rescue's worst nightmare. Fortunately, three of the cats have been found, but 16 remain unaccounted for. “We have been scrambling like crazy, setting traps, handing out fliers, you name it. We’re doing it,” she explained.
The search has proved challenging, as many of the missing cats are frightened and vulnerable. Wiegel highlighted that the shelter primarily serves cats from families facing difficult transitions, such as losing loved ones or moving into assisted living.
Support from the community has been crucial. Volunteers like Michelle Ketler have helped by distributing fliers, providing food and traps, and monitoring them throughout the night. Wiegel emphasized the responsibility they feel towards these cats, saying, “Every one of these cats came to us from someone that entrusted us to find them their new person.”
As their search intensifies, Wiegel and her team plan to use tuna or sardines to attract the cats to the traps, welcome the assistance of drone services, and have already set traps at locations where some of the cats have been spotted. To prevent future incidents, they also intend to install custom-made grills on all windows of the shelter. “To have all of these cats come home, even if it takes a month or longer, we just want to get them home where they belong,” Wiegel stated.