Yellowstone missing cat makes 900 mile journey back home to California

Rayne Beau’s owners think he traveled most of the way by himself.

When their cat turned up more than 900 miles from where he was lost last month, a Californian couple who had assumed he was dead received the surprise of a lifetime.

On June 4, Benny and Susanne Anguiano arrived at Yellowstone National Park with their two cats. The couple had always taken their pets on trips, but this time Rayne Beau, their Siamese cat, became frightened and fled into the forest. According to the Associated Press, the couple searched for him for four days and attempted to lure him back with his favorite toys and goodies.

There was no sign of Rayne Beau.

The Anguianos eventually left for their hometown of Salinas, California, on June 8. To the south of San Francisco is Salinas.

Yellowstone missing cat — This photograph provided by Susanne Anguiano shows her cat Rayne Beau looking out the window of a camper in July 2023. Rayne Beau ran away from the camper in June 2024, and was missing for two months before being found 900 miles away. (Susanne Anguiano via AP)

Despite all the odds, Susanne told the Associated Press she was “crushed,” but she remained optimistic that her cat would be discovered safe.

“Suddenly, as we were heading into the Nevada desert, I noticed a double rainbow. I snapped a photo of it, believing it to be a sign. That’s a sign for our rainbow, meaning he will be alright,” she remarked. Little Rayne Beau proved to be more resilient than everyone had anticipated.

The Anguianos learned in August that Rayne Beau had been discovered, slender and with roughened paws but otherwise in good condition.

According to the Associated Press, Rayne Beau was seen in Roseville, California, roughly 200 miles from Salinas and nearly 900 miles from where he ran off in Yellowstone.

Rayne Beau, above, was spotted in Roseville, California two months after he ran away from his owners in Yellowstone National Park. He was reunited with his family after his microchip was scanned. (Alexandra Betts via AP)

Before she was able to successfully trap him on August 3, a woman saw the Siamese in the streets and gave him food and water. She then took him to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the area, where they scanned his microchip.

According to the Associated Press, Rayne Beau shed six pounds during his two-month return trip to California. The Anguianos think that Rayne Beau managed to return to California on his own in some way.

“I firmly think he accomplished that journey primarily by himself. His paws were severely bruised. Due to poor nutrition, he lost 40% of his body weight and had extremely low protein levels. Thus, he was not taken care of “The Associated Press was informed by Susanne Anguiano.

In an attempt to find out if anyone had seen their cat on his voyage, the couple has contacted the media. The Anguianos have made the decision to postpone taking their cats on trips for the time being.

The Anguianos have since outfitted their cats (Rayne Beau is in the front) with AirTags and GPS trackers. (Susanne Anguiano via AP)

“We lost him, and it was a very ugly feeling,” Benny Anguiano said to The Associated Press. “We’ll have to practice camping at home and camp in the driveway to get him used to it.” Additionally, they have gone above and above to make sure their animals are secure.

The Aguianos claimed that although the cats were previously microchipped, they have now been fitted with AirTags, which include a GPS worldwide tracker for Rayne Beau.