The last time Diamond’s family had seen her was one day before the Montecito Mudslide destroyed their home and neighborhood.
That was 475 days ago.
Now the Santa Barbara family and their beloved cat have miraculously been reunited.
Alexander Strogoff, 10, spotted Diamond and was in total shock. “He just kept saying ‘no way! No way! Oh my gosh, no way,'” said Noelle Strogoff, his mother.
The family had evacuated their home in Montecito over a year prior, just before the Montecito mudslide destroyed their home. Unfortunately, leaving quickly, meant leaving their two cats behind.
When they finally returned home a year later, they couldn’t find their cats.
After mentioning it to a neighbor, though, Noelle had a breakthrough.
He asked her what the cat looked like and she told him, then he replied: “oh my gosh, I think I’ve been feeding her.” Noelle said, “20 minutes later I’m following him to his home and there’s the cat totally fine.”
Turns out, the young cat had survived off the kindness of strangers and scraps in the neighborhood. Noelle’s two youngest children were thrilled when Diamond had returned. Noelle said Diamond played with the kids like she’s a dog.
“Don’t give up. Keep looking. Just talking to people and expressing what it is you are looking for,” Strogoff said.