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Even Murray kept an eye out, but he saw nothing in the 12 weeks off being on site.

Their hopes of finding Harmoney cooled as the cold descended.

When Murray called SAFE’s Kirby Seidler to say he’d found Harmony, she didn’t believe him right away. People had mistaken another neighbourhood cat for Harmony, but Murray was adamant.

While waiting for Seidler to arrive, Murray gave the cat a tuna sandwich, which she inhaled in seconds.

When Seidler saw it was indeed Harmony, she started crying. So did Murray.

“I couldn’t believe that she was still alive,” Seidler said. “I thought about the family, how much they’ve lost and how important and what this could do for them to have her back. The fact that this, obviously to me, was a miracle.”

A veterinarian said Harmony is in good condition, although she is severely underweight and a bit skittish. She weighs about three kilograms, but should be closer to seven, Seidler said.

Seidler believes Harmony was living in the wall to stay warm, leaving through a hole to hunt and pick up scraps. But the cat probably wouldn’t have lasted the rest of the winter, she said.

As for who kept tipping over a lunchroom garbage bin, Murray now has a good idea.

He refused a $250 reward. “You lost all your stuff in the fire, if I can give this back to you, that’s a reward in itself,” he said. “Something good has come out of this awful catastrophe.”