Loki the cat has returned to his home at Kona Stories Bookstore after 84 days in the wild.
Brenda McConnell, co-owner of Kona Stories, was ecstatic after getting a message on Facebook that featured two unmistakable photos of Loki with his collar hanging loosely around his neck.
Loki had found his way to Keauhou Estates, three miles from the store, and was officially found by a vacationer on Saturday, Oct. 22.
Loki went missing after an event at the store on Aug. 2. McConnell and other staff couldn’t find him outside and hoped he would come back to the store by the next morning.
“We did everything we could to find him and had our fingers crossed that he was just hiding,” McConnell said. “I think he must have gotten chased by something and just got too far away. Once he crossed Kamehameha III Road, he couldn’t navigate back.”
This was sad news for the patrons of Kona Stories as Loki and his sister, Kinsey, have been staples at the bookstore since they were adopted as kittens from the Kohala Animal Relocation and Education Service, or KARES.
Loki and Kinsey are now 4 years old and have lived in the store their whole adopted lives.
After realizing Loki was missing, McConnell, Kona Stories staff and customers worked to find the feline by sharing his picture on social media and posting flyers in the neighborhood.
Local organizations Advocats and KARES posted his photo, sent search parties and continued to look for Loki weeks later while they cared for other cats in the community.
Avid birder Sam Spark was vacationing in Kailua-Kona when she met Loki near her vacation rental in Keauhou Estates.
After noticing Loki’s collar, she spoke to the landlord who remembered the bookstore cat that was lost three months earlier. The landlord helped Spark connect with McConnell to let her know the good news.
“I couldn’t believe it was actually him. I was so excited,” McConnell said. “I started going up and feeding him to lure him out of the bushes. It took four days to get him to trust me enough and remember my voice.”
For four days, Spark would let McConnell into the gated neighborhood, so she could try to get Loki to come home with her.
McConnell was grateful for Spark’s dedication and willingness to use her vacation time to help reunite Loki.
“What makes this story even more remarkable is Sam’s background and passion,” McConnell said. “She dedicates her free time to volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center, where her skills and compassion played a crucial role in Loki’s rescue.”
After returning home, Loki visited Dr. Jacob Head at Keauhou Veterinary Hospital who found that the cat had lost a third of his body weight, bringing him down to 7.1 pounds from 10 pounds.
Apart from malnutrition, Loki didn’t suffer from any major injuries and is awaiting blood tests before he can once again have free access to the store, according to McConnell.
“I missed him when he was gone, and seeing him home is so exciting. So many people have come in to bring him food and someone even wanted to pay for his vet bills,” McConnell said. “Animals are amazing and they connect us all in different ways. So many people took the time to look for him and spread the word when he was lost. It was a testament to how much the community bands together to help each other.”
Kona Stories is encouraging anyone who is interested to donate to KARES or Advocats for their assistance and for all the work they do for animals in the community.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com