Harlow makes it home for Christmas

This is a story of how a cat named Harlow, lost 426 days following Hurricane Helene, found her way home in plenty of time for the holidays.

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene brought historic rain and winds to Western North Carolina destroying homes, businesses, devastating families and forever changing the landscape in so many areas.

The Hickory Nut Gorge was devastated. The Rocky Broad River flooded, destroying everything in its path and forever changing lives.

Progress is ongoing in restoring homes, businesses, families and pets.

Recently a black cat was spotted living under a home on Red Anderson Road, Bat Cave, just beyond Chimney Rock Village.

Mary Jaeger-Gale, a resident in Bat Cave, noticed the cat and began a search to find its owner.

"This is someone's cat," Jaeger-Gale said when she discovered the stray was unusually friendly. The cat was not afraid of her and seemed glad to see her and others. The task was to find the cat's owner.

Another friend, Laura Deaton, began to post pictures of the cat on social media hoping to find the owner. Animal advocate Deaton, who works to reunite animals with owners, also filed a "found report" with the Henderson County Animal Shelter.

When there were no solid leads on the owner of the cat, Jaeger-Gale found a potential home for the cat after making several contacts asking if anyone wanted to re-home the friendly cat. Before taking the cat to a neighbor who was willing to make a new home for the stray, the cat was taken to veterinarian Bonnie Brae for a well check-up. The cat was healthy and about to go to a new owner.

Then came a twist in the story, said Jaeger-Gale.

Eva Kenney Zautra, of Henderson and also Bat Cave, lost three cats during the storm and she reached out to Deaton and Jaeger-Gale thinking the "found cat" could be her Harlow.

Eva has a cabin upstream from the river and assumed all three of her cats drowned during the historic storm.

When Deaton noticed a few distinctive markings on the cat, Eva sent an identifying photo to Deaton for a positive identification.

Just like a miracle, Harlow, the cat gone for 426 days and presumed to have drowned, had made it uphill to safety then traveled down to the next road downstream.

She was reunited with mom Eva.

The residents are still hoping the other two cats, Leo and Mango, may still be in the area searching for their owners. Reach out to Deaton if anyone has seen them.

The miracle of Harlow being gone 426 days is still being talked about in the Gorge as the season of hope is all around.