In the renowned Schrödinger's cat hypothesis, a cat enclosed in a box is deemed both alive and dead until observed – a concept echoed in the remarkable tale of a curious cat named Galena from Utah, who was found alive inside an Amazon return package after an unexpected journey.
Galena, a six-year-old indoor cat from Lehi, Utah, managed to sneak into a 3-by-3ft shipping container, embarking on a 500-mile trip to California. Despite enduring six days of travel without sustenance, she was discovered in relatively good condition by an Amazon employee.
Carrie Clark, Galena's owner, realized her cherished feline was missing on April 10th. With the aid of family and friends, she initiated a search for Galena, distributing posters and updates on a Facebook group dedicated to lost pets.
A week later, Clark received a startling notification: Galena had been located in Los Angeles. Initially dismissing it as an error, she later confirmed that her cat had indeed been shipped cross-country.
Brandy Hunter, an Amazon worker, discovered Galena in a returned package at a California warehouse. Hunter, a self-proclaimed "crazy cat lady," cared for Galena overnight before taking her to a local veterinarian.
Upon scanning Galena's microchip, the Clarks were promptly notified, leading them to fly to California to reunite with their feline companion. Despite appearing "much skinnier," Galena was otherwise unharmed.
Clark speculated that Galena had crept into the Amazon box while they were sealing the return delivery, unnoticed due to the box already weighing over 30 pounds.
"She doesn't meow a lot and she loves boxes, so for her, she was really happy in that moment, I'm sure," Clark commented. "Although I'm sure that wasn't the case later on."