Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Alaska family getting long-gone Gohn back

Cat lost in July, found last week in River Heights

By: Ryan Bowman

Posted: 12/22/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

The Winnipeg Humane Society's Pamela Wankling gives Gohn a cuddle. His family lost him in Winnipeg on their way from Ohio to Alaska last July. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Only at Christmastime could a cat, lost in Winnipeg in the summer, soon be reunited with its owners in a place called North Pole.

Separated by some 4,000 kilometres for nearly six months, a cat will be rejoining a family in North Pole, Alaska, sometime early in the new year.

Enshane Nomoto was making the long trek from Ohio to Alaska with her husband and two sons when the family's feline, Gohn, escaped outside a Winnipeg hotel on July 4 while they were loading their vehicle.

"He was collared," said Nomoto, 38. "So I figured I'd just pray and hope somebody called me someday."

Nomoto was so optimistic she'd see her precious kitty again that she kept her old cellphone number when the family arrived in the tiny Alaska town about 20 kilometres south of Fairbanks.

Although she never got a phone call, she finally received a text message earlier this week.

Michael and Alan MacPherson found the cat outside their parents' River Heights home and got Nomoto's number from Gohn's collar.

"He was meowing a lot, but he looked relatively healthy," said Michael, 27. "We had no idea what to do because we haven't had an animal in the house for about 10 years."

The brothers agreed to take the cat to the Winnipeg Humane Society, but when they took him out to the car, their homemade leash snapped and Gohn bolted.

The MacPhersons texted Nomoto with the bad news and once again she thought Gohn was a goner.

But two days later, the cat came back.

Now in the care of the humane society, Gohn will have to wait to see his family until the Canadian airlines lift their temporary embargo on transporting pets to the U.S.

Nomoto said the reunion is the greatest Christmas gift she could imagine.

"It just adds to the whole spirit of the holidays and makes me feel even more gratitude. It shows there are good folks out there who are willing to go above and beyond and help a stranger."

And a cat.

ryan.bowman@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 22, 2012 B2

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.