AILSA CHANG, HOST:
If you have ever spent time with cats, you probably know how much they love to hide in strange places, like inside an empty washing machine or in a hole they made inside your couch. Well, this story is about how one cat's penchant for hiding led to the journey of a lifetime hundreds of miles away across state lines.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Yeah. Earlier this month in Utah, a shy 6-year-old indoor cat named Galena vanished from her home. Her owners, Carrie and Matt Clark, looked for her everywhere. Carrie Clark told NBC's affiliate in Salt Lake City...
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CARRIE CLARK: They put tons of flyers up. We contacted friends and family to help us search.
CHANG: The Clarks eventually gave up the search. And then they got a lead. Galena's microchip had been detected 650 miles away in California.
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CLARK: I thought it was a prank. Like, I still - it's still hard to wrap my brain around.
KELLY: After a phone call with a vet in LA, the Clarks finally pieced together how Galena got there - Amazon. It turns out Galena loves playing in cardboard boxes, as many cats do. So when the Clarks had some work boots to return, their Amazon package was an enticing playground for her.
CHANG: Matt Clark had no idea that his beloved cat was trapped inside the box when he dropped it off. On the other end of the delivery in Los Angeles, an Amazon warehouse worker named Brandy discovered Galena and took her in. The cat had not had food or water in six days.
KELLY: The Clarks have since been reunited with their cat. They say she's in good health. Her recovery has been miraculous.
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CLARK: We're just so happy to have her again. Oh, my goodness.
KELLY: Carrie Clark's plea to pet owners - microchip your animals and triple check your Amazon boxes. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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