Cat finds fur-ever home with rescuer after Bryce Canyon tragedy

SALT LAKE CITY — Mirage the cat, the lone survivor of a 380-foot fall from a Bryce Canyon cliff, has a new home.

Mirage was found in a soft-sided animal carrier, matted and covered in dirt next to the bodies of an adult male and adult female. The Best Friend Animal Sanctuary in Kanab took over her care on April 30. 

Now, weeks later, Mirage is going home with the woman who rescued her. Chelsea Tugaw was the search and rescue pilot who responded to the victims on April 29.

“I’m so ecstatic to be taking Mirage home,” Tugaw said. “I hope I can give her the perfect retirement life and let her be a nice lazy cat in her old age.“

Best Friends estimates the tabby cat is around 12 years old.

Finding Mirage was no illusion

According to a release by Best Friends, Tugaw usually flies a Salt Lake route but was flying in southern Utah on the day of the rescue. 

When Tugaw responded to the incident, the rescue crew initially thought they found a backpack. However, it was a carrier with a shaken Mirage secured inside.

“We couldn’t believe the cat was alive,” Tugaw said. “I thought she was injured and 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.” 

Best Friends said Mirage’s survival stunned the medical team. According to the sanctuary, X-rays showed several broken ribs and teeth. Additionally, veterinarians discovered concerns with her heart.

She was transferred to a specialty veterinary hospital in Las Vegas, where doctors treated her for fluid buildup likely caused by the fall. After stabilizing, she was deemed healthy and returned to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Best Friends was unable to locate the victim’s next of kin. So, Tugaw decided to step in.

“I just hope she knows she’s going to a really loving home and that it’ll be her final home,” Tugaw said.