When Aria Pendak Jeffersonsa国际传媒檚 cat ran away while the family was in Ucluelet two years ago, she was despondent. The three-year-old regarded ChiChi, a black and white tuxedo cat, as her best friend.

Now almost six and with several other cats in the house, Aria never lost hope that she would see ChiChi again.

On Wednesday, her wish came true.

sa国际传媒淪he just ran out the door and never came back,sa国际传媒� Ariasa国际传媒檚 mother, Ashley Jefferson said about the day the cat went missing. She was staying at a friendsa国际传媒檚 house in Ucluelet at the time while in the process of moving.

sa国际传媒淪he was heartbroken. She didnsa国际传媒檛 give up though,sa国际传媒� Jesse Pendak said of his and Ashleysa国际传媒檚 daughter, who was a few months older than the cat. ChiChi had been born on Pendaksa国际传媒檚 bed, so Aria was with her since she was born.

sa国际传媒淭hey grew up together,sa国际传媒� Jefferson said. The adults assumed the worst about the family cat.

Courtney Johnson and her partner, Barry Edge, own Image West in Ucluelet. Just before Easter a friend told Courtney that there was a friendly stray cat in the parking lot of the Canadian Princess across the street. Johnson feeds a small group of feral cats in the neighbourhood so she went over to see how she could help the stray.

She brought the cat home, called her Scrappy and spent four hours patiently cutting mats out of her fur. sa国际传媒淪he ate her weight in kitty food. I was amazed at how calm she was,sa国际传媒� Johnson said.

It was a stroke of luck and social media that brought the two families together.

sa国际传媒淚 (occasionally) checked the Ucluelet Facebook page to see if she was randomly posted,sa国际传媒� Jefferson said. sa国际传媒淚 hadnsa国际传媒檛 checked in about six months. I randomly checked one day and Courtney, the lady who (has) her, had posted a photosa国际传媒攁nd I knew it was her.sa国际传媒�

ChiChi has unique colourings on her face, including a black nose. Even though she is smaller than when she went missing there was no mistaking the photo on Facebook was the Pendakssa国际传媒� cat.

sa国际传媒淚 didnsa国际传媒檛 believe it at first,sa国际传媒� Pendak said.

sa国际传媒淚 was shocked,sa国际传媒� Jefferson said. sa国际传媒淭his little one (Aria) never stopped thinking she would get her cat back and she was right.sa国际传媒�

ChiChi was found within a 10-minute drive from where she disappeared. sa国际传媒淚 wish she had a GoPro on her to see what shesa国际传媒檚 been doing all this time,sa国际传媒� Johnson said.

When Johnson said ChiChisa国际传媒檚 name for the first time the cat sat up and looked at her. sa国际传媒淪he would sleep in my bathtub,sa国际传媒� Johnson said.

sa国际传媒淪he would sleep in my bathtub too,sa国际传媒� Jefferson said.

On Wednesday, April 21, the two families met halfway, in a parking lot in Port Alberni, to exchange the cat. Aria wore a special pink dress for the occasion and waited shyly as Johnson and Edge drove up in their orange Tacoma truck. When it was time for Aria to be reunited with her best furry friend, ChiChi sat on the shadowed pavement in a harness and leash and accepted pets.

When Aria picked her up, ChiChi began purring. Aria grinned. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 so happy,sa国际传媒� she said.

Johnson was at peace seeing the reunion. sa国际传媒淧eople have had a lot of loss. I know I have had loss. I think this is amazing to be able to reunite somebodysa国际传媒檚 friend with her family.

sa国际传媒淗ope deserves to be kept alive.sa国际传媒�

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