Dávid Pristyák’s cat, Boci, returned home after 7 months; their special and touching story travelled through social media.

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Boci’s story is not only an adventure of a resourceful domestic cat, but also a good example of how deep an emotional bond can develop between human and cat.

Boci and their siblings were found in the street / Photo: Dávid Pristyák

Boci is an adopted cat

Boci came to Dávid and family in the autumn of 2020 through a foundation – them and their two siblings were found in the street. They were still so small that they could not eat on their own. The foundation’s volunteers in the first times fed them with formula from a feeding bottle until they became strong enough to move to a new home. Boci got their name from their colour from their owner, the main character of our article, who arrived to Dávid’s household alongside Tom, the one-year-old neutered tomcat. It quickly became clear about them that they gladly spend their time both in the flat and in the garden, and in the “fight” against the local rodents they took an active part.

It was the work of a moment

A year later, however, a huge loss struck the family: Tomi died. Not long afterwards, a new cat arrived in the family, Miki, the neutered tomcat, with whom Boci also formed a close bond. Then came the unexpected turn: on Christmas Eve of 2024, Boci went into the house, but something may have suddenly frightened them, so they immediately ran out the door – this was the last moment the family saw them. They searched, put up posters, asked around in the area, but Boci disappeared without a trace. "No matter how we searched, we had no news about them. We have no idea where they could have been during this time, but day after day we waited for them to suddenly return,” recalls Dávid the sad memory.

Boci and Miki cats / Photo: Dávid Pristyák

Boci cat’s return was a miracle

The family did not give up: every day they waited that perhaps they would reappear – and seven months later, on a morning just like the others, Boci appeared. Emaciated, hungry, but alive. “When we saw them, we could not hold back our tears – we experienced their return as a miracle; it was a huge joy for the whole family,” the owner recalls the joyful moment. Miki, their cat friend, also greeted them happily, it was visible that the strong bond had not been affected by the months spent apart.

Meanwhile the family expanded with Patrik cat, with whom Boci within a short time found a common voice. Boci is home again, in safety; they do not wander off any more, as if they also felt what an exceptional gift a second chance is.

After seven months Boci returned home / Photo: Dávid Pristyák

These can help in the search

The GPS collar is advantageous in that one can track the cat’s movement, however their operating time is usually around 3–5 days, therefore we have to charge it regularly if we really want to make use of it. iOS users can also use a special locator mounted on the collar, which works through the Bluetooth system. Although the battery of these can last even 2 years without charging, their disadvantage is that their range is 10–15 m, thus they can only be of use during active searching. The volunteers of the Search Dog Service Foundation (Keresőkutyás Szolgálat Alapítvány) also help in finding lost cats (this foundation is available in Hungary, but there are others, who rescue lost cats outside of this country). The search is influenced by very many factors, whether the weather, or the type of the place of residence, and a cardinal point is also that the action should start within 24–48 hours. Cats move in every direction, and they can sneak in almost anywhere. They are most active at dawn and at sunset, therefore it is worth searching for them in these periods.

Although in Boci’s case it is not certain that it would have played a big role, we are obliged to mention the transponder, that is, the microchip. If someone happens to find the animal and takes them to the vet, by reading this they can be simply identified. It costs about 10,000–15,000 HUF (around 25-38 EUR) and can save lives.

There are several heartwarming rescue stories about cats, such as this one, where a kitten in danger was saved.

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