Return of three lost cats leaves owners purring

SUFFOLK

With apologies to Dr. Seuss, it's time to say the cat in the trap came back.

The Virginia Beach SPCA had taken humane traps to two pet owners in Hillpoint Farms whose kitties vanished in last week's tornado.

Kim Martino said her cat, Mary, went into the trap Saturday night. Mary had disappeared from a screened-in back porch that was torn open by the storm. After some debate about setting the trap under the porch or next to the door, it was set in the middle of the porch and baited with canned cat food.

Emily Thiede said Calvin also was trapped over the weekend. The Thiede s' house was completely erased by the tornado, and their two cats, Calvin and Hobbes, vanished. Hobbes finally made his way to the next-door neighbor's garage Thursday. Thiede said half of her heart was back. Then Calvin returned.

Despite having only a concrete pad left of her house, on Monday, Thiede was ecstatic.

"It's been a pretty fantastic day," she said.