Washington Woman Finds Cat In Neighbor's Chimney After Month-Long Search

A woman from Union Gap has spent the last month searching for her missing cat.

After 28 days of driving around her neighborhood, posting flyers, and going door to door, Caitlyn Wertenberger was ready to face the sad reality that her cat was gone for good.

That's when her neighbors told KOMO News they heard meowing from inside their house.

The house had previously been vacant. When the new neighbors moved in, they called over Wertenberger to look for her missing cat, Piper.

That's when Wertenberger found Piper trapped in the fireplace damper.

"She's a big cat, I didn't think she could fit down a chimney," Wertenberger told KEPR. "I didn't want to get my hopes up too much - it was always kind of in my head that possibly she wasn't coming back but I still had that feeling that she wasn't really gone yet."

Piper is 19 pounds so Wertenberger didn't think it was possible for her to fit into such a small place.

"I was able to reach up and in," Wertenberger told the Yakima Herald. "I could pet her. I gave her water and cat food."

With the help of her dad, they were able to pull Piper up out of the chimney.

According to KOMO News, a veterinarian's exam showed that Piper was dehydrated and lost seven pounds during the month she was trapped in the neighbor's chimney. However, the vet said she would be fine.

"It was awesome," said Wertenberger. "... the best-case scenario for a worst-case scenario."

Photo: Getty Images