The great Cranberry cat caper Island feline found after fleeing in New Hampshire By Lauren Gifford The Cooks made arrangements New Hampshire she thought Noah woods and called to Noah for two with Sally McShea, a friend of Mr. needed a drink of water and a hours. She contacted the local po- CRANBERRY ISLES - Some La Hotan, to take Noah back to break from the car. She fastened a lice department and veterinary people say promises are made to be New York with her at the end of the collar, with a nametag, around his hospitals. Noah's name tag had Mr. broken. Jennifer Cook and Ginger summer. neck and tied a string to the collar. La Hotan's New York phone num- Cook proved them wrong. Ms. McShea boarded the ferry The string, however, was no match ber on it so Ms. McShea put an an- The two women, who share the with Noah the morning of Sunday, for Noah. He broke the string, swering machine there in case same last name but are not related, Sept. 8 and, along with her new darted off, and ran into nearby someone found the cat and tried to put their lives on hold last week to owner, began the journey south. woods. call. rescue a dear friend's cat, that was By the time Ms. McShea reached Ms. McShea stayed by the When Ms. McShea called the lost in the woods off an interstate pair Monday afternoon to tell them highway in New Hampshire. what happened, they were shocked. When Jennifer and Ginger "We both felt so horrible," said began caring for Great Cranberry Jennifer. "We made a promise. We summer resident Bob La Hotan a couldn't leave him there no way." year and a half ago, they promised, "She did all that she could," said should anything happen to him, Jennifer. She and Ginger, however, they would take care of his cat, knew that Noah would come only Noah. if they called him. Although working full-time The two women, with the help jobs, both women saw Mr. La of their employers, who let them Hotan, whose health was failing, al- leave early-Jennifer works for most every day. They developed a Beal and Bunker and Ginger works close friendship, both with Mr. La for Newman and Gray-left the is- Hotan, an accomplished painter land around 3:30 p.m. Monday, and teacher, and with Noah, his 3- Sept. 9. They were in New Hamp- year-old long hair cat with tuxedo- shire, at the exact place Noah es- like markings. caped, by 7:15 p.m. Just two days before Mr. La On the ride down, Ginger re- Hotan passed away, Jennifer re- minded Jennifer that the likelihood minded him of her promise that of finding Noah, who had spent the Noah would be cared for. night in the woods along a major "Noah was his pride and joy," highway, was slim. Even though she said Jennifer, "the most important knew Noah might not be there, thing to him." Two Cranberry Isles women traveled for several hours to rescue Jennifer had to at least try and get Mr. La Hotan died on Aug. 30. Noah, this island cat that got lost in the woods of New Hampshire. see CAT page 2