Katrina cat

Feline hurricane victim going home to family
By Sarah Daniel
The Sedalia Democrat
A rescued cat living in Sedalia for nearly a month will be reunited with its family Friday in Mississippi.
Mogley, a short-hair black cat, was separated from his family after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.
Beth Montes, of Sedalia, worked with Best Friends Animal Society at St. Francis Animal Sanctuary in Tylertown, Miss., for four weeks following the hurricane.
She agreed to care for Mogley and three other cats until their families could be found.
Ms. Montes said Mogley was rescued from his home in St. Bernard Parish. Best Friend volunteers wrote with spray paint on the house the date he was rescued
and where he was taken. Ms. Montes said Mogley was afraid of the other cats at the shelter and didn't like being kept in a cage.
"He was real freaked out," she said. "He just needed to be gotten out of there. Once I got him home, he was a different boy."
Ms. Montes said she found out Friday that Mogley's family was at the animal sanctuary in Tylertown looking for him. The family also lost three dogs after
the hurricane. Best Friends rescued two of the dogs and the family found the other one in their neighborhood.
"They were extremely fortunate (to locate all of their animals)," Ms. Montes said.
Ms. Montes talked to the family and held the phone so Mogley could hear their voices.
"They were pretty much overwhelmed," Ms. Montes said.
Ms. Montes and Mogley will leave Wednesday. She said the other three cats she is taking care of will be put up for adoption if their families aren't found.
Ms. Montes plans to stay in Mississippi a week to volunteer with Alley Cat Allies doing animal care and search and rescue.
"It's really still a desperate situation for a lot of the animals," she said.
Ms. Montes will bring donated supplies to SpayMart and Alley Cat Allies. She said cat food is needed the most.
People wanting more information about donating can contact Beth Montes at 473-0192.