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PINESBURG — When Melissa Pennington's cat, Harley, snuck outside in November 2013, she didn't give it a second thought. Harley is an inside cat, but he liked to sit on the porch of Pennington's Pinesburg home.
But Pennington started getting worried when Harley, who had chronic kidney problems, didn't come back.
She searched for him for six weeks, but then figured he had left to die, since he had almost died from kidney disease twice before.
"I had no idea he was out there prowling and surviving on his own," Pennington said.
An animal lover, Pennington has four dogs and another cat, and recently took in a pregnant cat, who gave birth to 11 kittens, for which she is looking for homes.
Still, Pennington missed Harley and always wondered what had happened to him. He had left wearing his collar.
"Lord knows what happened to that," she said.
When she and her son went to PetSmart in 2007 to look at the cats, Pennington said she "saw this cat swattin' all the kittens in the kennel with him. I knew I had to bring him home. . . and he ran the house for a while. He was my only cat for many, many years."
But this past Labor Day, another animal lover started noticing a black cat with white spots who was "skin and bones" at her home near Pangborn Boulevard.
Trisha Bair couldn't ignore the hungry cries of a cat that seemed to want affection, as well as the food and water she offered.
Bair sensed that the cat had been someone's pet because he "talked back," which she said feral cats don't do.
After about a week of feeding him, Bair was able to coax the cat into a crate and took him to her veterinarian at Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Hospital. They scanned him for a microchip, and Bair was surprised that he had one.
When Pennington purchased Harley at PetSmart eight years ago, they required a microchip. An employee at the veterinary clinic contacted the microchip company, who called the cat's owner.
"I was very surprised to get the call last Thursday (Sept. 17) that Harley was found," Pennington said.
Bair said once they knew the cat's name, and she started using it, Harley's eyes "got big, and he perked up."
She had posted his photo on her rescue website and was excited that Harley was reunited with his owner, whose home is about 12 miles from Bair's.
"He was just so sweet. I knew he had to have a home somewhere. I would want someone to do the same for my animals," Bair said.
Within 10 minutes of getting the telephone call, Pennington was at the vet's office and reunited with Harley. He's now home and "grounded" from outside adventures for the time being.
Harley, who is now 10, was skinnier than when he left home and looked like he had lived outside but is gaining weight, and his coat is getting shinier, Pennington said.
Harley is settling back into the household, although he is much more independent after his almost two years in the wild.
"He was always a good cat. We'll get him back to where he was before," Pennington said.
The Humane Society of Washington County has upcoming opportunities for microchipping pets at their low-cost rabies clinics.
The cost of rabies vaccinations are $15 each per animal, and microchips are $15 each per animal.
The clinics, which include animal licenses, are from 12 to 3 p.m. at the humane society, 13011 Maugansville Road, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Call 301-733-2060 for more information or go to www.hswcmd.org.
All dogs must be leashed or in carriers, and cats must be in carriers.
The clinics are scheduled for:
• Saturday, Oct. 10
• Saturday, Nov. 14
• Saturday, Dec. 12
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