A new home for the miracle kitty

Mirage’s story began with heartbreak — and then, impossibly, with hope.

In late April, after a tragic fall at Bryce Canyon that claimed the lives of two people, search-and-rescue teams made a surprising discovery on the canyon floor. Amid the difficult recovery efforts, they noticed what looked like a dusty backpack — but it turned out to be a soft-sided pet carrier. Inside, to their amazement, was a cat.

“We couldn’t believe the cat was alive,” says Chelsea Tugaw, the search-and-rescue pilot on duty that day. “I thought she was injured, and I was uncertain of her future. It gave me a lot of comfort when I found out she was going to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to get the help she needed.”

At the Sanctuary, the veterinary team estimated this miracle kitty to be around 12 years old. They named her Mirage — for the almost-unreal nature of her survival. X-rays revealed that she had cracked ribs and broken teeth — but nothing that needed surgical intervention. Her prognosis was good. She’d be closely monitored and given plenty of TLC.

After about a week, caregivers noticed Mirage began breathing harder and eating a little less. Another round of X-rays showed concerns about her heart. She was immediately driven to a specialty hospital in Las Vegas for additional testing.

There was fluid buildup in her chest, likely a delayed result from the trauma of her fall. She was given supportive care and stabilized. After a few days, she was determined to be healthy and returned to Best Friends, where she moved into an office at Cat World Headquarters to continue her recovery.

[Faces of No-Kill: Cat heals from injury in style]

It didn’t take long for caregivers to fall in love with Mirage. With her gentle spirit and affectionate nature, she quickly won over everyone. Despite all she had been through, she remained incredibly loving — nuzzling up for attention and purring loudly whenever someone reached out to pet her.

Meanwhile, the team from Best Friends had been in touch with the family of Mirage’s late people. Though they weren’t able to adopt her themselves, they gave their full blessing for someone else to step forward — someone who had been thinking about Mirage ever since the day she was found.

Chelsea returned to the Sanctuary, this time not for a rescue but for a reunion. “I felt there was a special connection with us rescuing her,” she says. “I’m so ecstatic to be taking Mirage home. I hope I can give her the perfect retirement life and let her be a nice lazy cat in her old age. I just hope she knows she’s going to a really loving home.”

Mirage’s journey is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, love can light the way to a new beginning.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.