CASE FILE: BHUJA

LAST KNOWN LOCATION & RANGE

PRIMARY RESIDENCE

4 Robin Ridge, New Milford, CT 06776

• Small dead-end street with 5 houses.
• Intersects with Route 202.
• Residential suburban area with wooded sections nearby.

KNOWN RANGE (PRIOR TO DISAPPEARANCE)

• Primary territory: Robin Ridge and immediate surroundings
• Extended range: Carlson Ridge (55+ community), Park Lane Road, Orchard Hill area
• Maximum observed distance: Approximately 1 mile from home
• Direction of travel: Generally northeast toward Carlson Ridge/Orchard Hill area

Map showing Bhuja's known territory, last sighting locations, and search distribution areas

LAST CONFIRMED SIGHTINGS

November 10, 2021, ~3:00 PM

• Location: Front garden, 4 Robin Ridge
• Observed by: Owner
• Activity: Lounging/resting
• Weather conditions: High of 64°F, low of 34°F (cooling temperatures as evening approached)

November 10, 2021, ~4:30 PM

• Location: Orchard Hill property (neighbour Andrew's residence)
• Observed by: Andrew (property owner)
• Activity: Hunting chipmunks in woodpile
• Significance: Bhuja appeared healthy, active, and engaged in normal hunting behaviour; this was his last confirmed sighting

DETAILED TIMELINE OF EVENTS

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

~3:00 PM:

• Bhuja was last seen by the owner.
• Bhuja was lounging in the front garden at 4 Robin Ridge.

~4:30 PM:

• Last confirmed sighting of Bhuja was by neighbour Andrew at the Orchard Hill property.
• Bhuja was seen hunting chipmunks in the woodpile.

~6:00-7:00 PM:

• Bhuja didn't return home for evening meal.
• This was unusual but not unheard of.
• The owner started searching for Bhuja and calling for him.

~Midnight:

• Active search suspended for the night.
• Bhuja does not return.

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

• The owner conducted a walking search.
• The owner also drove to nearby Carlson Ridge (55+ community).
• The working theory is that Bhuja may have been locked in a garage or shed as the residents left for the Veterans Day holiday.

NOVEMBER 12, 2021

• Social media alerts were posted in local community pages.
• The local animal shelter was contacted, but there was no matching intake.
• Posters were put up in the area.
• Flyers were distributed to mailboxes in the immediate vicinity.

NOVEMBER 2021 (ONGOING)

• Door-to-door canvassing (total: 106 homes).
• Monitoring of lost pet databases.
• Trail cameras and humane traps deployed.
• 48 neon posters placed at intersections.
• 450+ flyers distributed.
• Robocalls sent to neighbors.
• Scent-based attractants placed outside.
• Repeated checks of shelters/animal control.

DECEMBER 23, 2021

• Black cat trapped on Weatinock Drive - NOT Bhuja (verified by inspection).

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

• Black cat trapped in Sherman, CT - NOT Bhuja.

APRIL 22, 2022

• Black cat trapped at Murph's Tire, 11 Howland Lane, New Milford, CT - NOT Bhuja.
• Black cat trapped at private residence on Coopers Lane off Merryall Road - NOT Bhuja.

2022 (ONGOING)

• Scent dragging attempted - no results.
• Daily foot searches in suspected areas.
• Continuous monitoring of online groups.
• Animal Control facilities routinely checked.

JUNE 2023

• Black cat sighting near Lappala Christmas Tree Farm.
• Humane trap set; brownish cat trapped - NOT Bhuja.
• Black cat from initial sighting not located - Bhuja NOT confirmed.

SEPTEMBER 2023

• Owner relocates to UK for work; continues search remotely with local contacts, online efforts, and periodic visits.

DECEMBER 2024

• Owner returns to CT for Christmas.
• "Happy New Year" reminder cards with Bhuja's photo distributed in original search neighborhoods.
• Feral colony visit - no sign of Bhuja.

2024-PRESENT

• Letter-writing campaign initiated targeting farms, animal shelters, rescue organizations, veterinary clinics, real estate agents, landscaping companies, and moving companies in New Milford area.
• Inquiries to Petlink regarding scan history for microchip.
• Development of OSINT challenge with $10,000 prize and investigative website (2025).

SEARCH HISTORY & EFFORTS

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE (NOVEMBER 10-30, 2021)

• Physical searches conducted daily on foot and by vehicle.
• 48+ neon posters placed at critical intersections.
• 450+ flyers distributed to mailboxes and hand-delivered.
• 106 residences canvassed door-to-door.
• Neighbors contacted via robocalls.
• Scent attractants deployed (litter box, worn clothing left outside).
• Local shelters, animal control, and rescue organizations contacted.
• Online databases monitored (LostMyKitty.com, PetFBI.org, PawBoost.com).

ONGOING EFFORTS (DECEMBER 2021 - PRESENT)

• Humane traps and trail cameras deployed at reported sighting locations (multiple black cats trapped, none were Bhuja).
• Continuous monitoring of social media platforms (Nextdoor, Facebook community groups, missing pet pages).
• Regular contact with shelters and animal control within 30-mile radius.
• Scent dragging attempted in 2022 - no results.
• Feral colony checks (limited due to remote location).
• Periodic flyer distribution and reminder campaigns.
• Letter-writing campaign to businesses and organizations (2024-present).
• Development of OSINT challenge with $10k prize and investigative website (2025).

RESOURCES EXPENDED

• Hundreds of hours of active searching.
• Thousands of dollars in printing, supplies, and trail cameras.
• Ongoing monitoring and coordination from abroad since September 2023.

EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS

CONFIRMED FACTS

• Bhuja was healthy, active, and exhibiting normal behavior on November 10, 2021.
• He was last seen hunting (a normal activity) at approximately 4:30 PM.
• Weather was cooling (64°F high, 34°F low) but not extreme.
• He had been establishing a pattern of staying out longer and traveling farther in the weeks prior.
• He was not wearing a collar at time of disappearance.
• No remains have been found despite extensive searching.
• Multiple other black cats were trapped at various sighting locations, none matching Bhuja's description or microchip.

Temperature and weather data for November 10-14, 2021

UNCONFIRMED SIGHTINGS

• Multiple reports of black cats in the area over the past 4 years.
• None have been definitively confirmed as Bhuja.
• All accessible sightings were investigated with traps/cameras.

INVESTIGATIVE THEORIES

THEORY 1: Indoor Adoption (Probability: HIGH)

Supporting factors:

• Bhuja was friendly and food-motivated; could be perceived as a "stray" without a collar.
• Black cats without obvious identifiers are difficult to distinguish.
• Many people assume an outdoor cat without a collar is abandoned or feral.
• Cold weather in November may have prompted someone to bring him inside.
• He had a documented history of entering structures and vehicles.
• If adopted by someone who doesn't routinely take cats to veterinarians, his microchip would not be scanned.

THEORY 2: Accidental Transportation (Probability: MODERATE-HIGH)

Supporting factors:

• Bhuja had a history of climbing into vehicles (owner's car, previously found locked in garage).
• He was curious and impish; likely to investigate open vehicles, trucks, or equipment.
• November 10, 2021, was the day before Veterans Day (3-day weekend); possible increased moving/travel activity.
• Construction, delivery, or service vehicles may have been in the area.
• If transported even 20-50 miles and released/escaped, he would be outside his known territory and unable to navigate home.

THEORY 3: Trapped/Confined (Probability: MODERATE - Decreasing with time)

Supporting factors:

• Bhuja had been trapped in structures twice before (storage shed, crawled into plumbing access hole).
• Many residents in Carlson Ridge (55+ community) may travel for extended periods.
• Sheds, garages, basements, and crawl spaces are common in the area.

Challenges:

• After 4 years, survival in a confined space is not plausible.
• If he perished in a structure, remains would likely have been discovered by now.
• Extensive searching of accessible structures yielded no findings.

THEORY 4: Predation/Accident (Probability: LOW-MODERATE)

Supporting factors:

• Coyotes and other predators are present in Connecticut.
• Route 202 has moderate vehicle traffic.

Challenges:

• No remains found despite extensive ground searches.
• Bhuja was experienced as an outdoor cat and territory-aware.
• Complete disappearance without trace is less consistent with predation, which often leaves evidence.

THEORY 5: Feral Colony Integration (Probability: LOW)

Supporting factors:

• Outdoor cats sometimes join feral colonies.

Challenges:

• Bhuja was 8 years old, neutered, and domesticated; integration into a feral colony at that age is uncommon.
• Only one known feral colony in area has been checked; Bhuja not present.
• His friendly, human-oriented temperament makes feral living less likely.
• After 4 years outdoors without veterinary care, survival likelihood decreases significantly.

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

OWNER'S SITUATION AT TIME OF DISAPPEARANCE

• Owner was working remotely on high-stress Afghanistan evacuation efforts (post-fall of Kabul, August 2021).
• Owner experiencing elevated stress levels, irregular sleep, reduced eating.
• Bhuja may have been responding to owner's stress by spending more time away from home.
• Owner's sister visited with her dog on the evening of November 10, 2021 (possible environmental factor).

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

• Temperature dropping as fall progressed (November 10: high 64°F, low 34°F).
• Approaching winter may have motivated Bhuja to seek warmer shelter.
• Veterans Day holiday (November 11) may have resulted in increased travel/activity in the area.

NEIGHBORHOOD FACTORS

• Robin Ridge is a small, quiet dead-end street (5 houses total).
• Carlson Ridge is a 55+ community (residents may travel frequently, may take in stray cats).
• Other outdoor cats in neighborhood have not gone missing.
• No reports of other missing pets during same timeframe.

WHY THIS CASE IS SOLVABLE

1. THE MICROCHIP IS THE KEY

Bhuja's microchip (981020013910483) is registered and flagged as missing. If he's taken to any veterinary clinic or shelter and scanned, he can be definitively identified and returned. This isn't a case of "maybe it's him"—the microchip provides absolute verification.

The challenge: Many people who take in stray cats don't immediately visit a vet, or they may not take outdoor cats to vets regularly. But cats eventually need veterinary care. One scan ends this search.

2. SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, KNOWS SOMETHING

Bhuja didn't vanish into thin air. One of the following is true:

• Someone took him in and has had him for four years (most likely).
• He was accidentally transported and is living elsewhere.
• He's been seen by people who didn't realize he was a missing pet.

In any scenario, information exists. It just hasn't reached the right person yet. That's where you come in.

3. DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS ARE EVERYWHERE

Even though this happened in 2021, data persists:

• Social media posts about "found cats".
• Nextdoor archives and community group discussions.
• Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace "free cat" listings.
• Municipal records (construction permits, real estate transactions).
• Veterinary intake records.

OSINT researchers excel at finding needles in digital haystacks. This case has dozens of potential data points that haven't been fully explored.

4. COMMUNITIES ARE INCREDIBLY RESOURCEFUL

The internet has solved colder cases than this. Reddit users have identified hit-and-run drivers from grainy footage. Online communities have reunited families separated for decades. Bellingcat investigators have geolocated obscure images using nothing but publicly available data.

The collective intelligence of thousands of people is more powerful than one person searching alone. Fresh eyes see patterns that weren't obvious before. Someone reading this case file might recognize a detail, remember a conversation, or have access to information that cracks this open.

5. TIME WORKS BOTH WAYS

Yes, four years is a long time. But it also means:

• If someone has Bhuja, they've likely established routines (vet visits, social media posts, conversations with neighbors).
• Real estate transactions, moving records, and municipal data from 2021 are now publicly accessible.
• People who were hesitant to come forward in 2021 may be willing to share information now.
• Technology and search tools have improved since 2021.

INVESTIGATIVE PRIORITIES & OPEN QUESTIONS

The following areas represent gaps in the investigation that may yield breakthroughs. Some preliminary outreach is underway, but these avenues would benefit significantly from crowdsourced intelligence and additional investigation.

PRIORITY AREAS FOR INVESTIGATION:

1. CONSTRUCTION, MOVING, AND SERVICE ACTIVITY (November 2021)

• Supporting factors: Bhuja could easily have climbed into a contractor vehicle, moving truck, or landscaping trailer.
• Investigative angle: Were there construction projects, utility work, moving companies, or landscaping services active in the Robin Ridge/Route 202/Carlson Ridge area between November 1-15, 2021? Did any service workers report finding a cat in vehicles or equipment?
• Status: Letters are being drafted to relevant companies and municipal departments; this is a time-intensive process and additional investigators with access to public records or industry contacts could accelerate progress.

2. REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS (Late 2021 - Early 2022)

• Supporting factors: A moving household might have unintentionally transported a cat. Estate sales or vacated properties occasionally involve stray or "inherited" animals.
• Investigative angle: Were any homes sold, vacated, or foreclosed in the area? Did estate sales or property transitions involve reports of cats found on premises?
• Status: Initial outreach to real estate agents and property management companies is in progress; comprehensive records search would benefit from researchers with access to MLS data or public property databases.

3. VETERINARY RECORDS (2021-Present)

• Supporting factors: Anyone who took in a "stray" may not have immediately visited a vet—but eventually most cats require care. A microchip scan would instantly confirm identity.
• Investigative angle: Have any veterinary clinics treated black male cats as strays or with unclear ownership since November 2021?
• Status: Letters to area veterinary clinics are being prepared.
• Note for veterinary professionals: Please scan all black cats for microchips during routine visits, even if they appear to have owners.

4. MICROCHIP SCAN HISTORY

• Supporting factors: If the chip was ever scanned, even once, the entire case changes instantly.
• Investigative angle: Has Bhuja's microchip (981020013910483) been scanned by anyone other than the owner since November 2021?
• Specific request: Any contacts, industry knowledge, or regulatory pathways that might compel Petlink to release scan-query logs would be extremely valuable.
• Status: Petlink has not been responsive to requests for scan history information.

5. DIGITAL ARCHIVES & SOCIAL MEDIA

• Supporting factors: People frequently post "found cat" notices, neighborhood alerts, or rehoming listings. Even if Bhuja was not explicitly described, photos may contain matches.
• Investigative angle: Are there archived posts in "found cat," "free cat," or "adoption" groups from November 2021-2023 featuring black cats in Connecticut?
• Platforms to investigate: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Nextdoor, local community groups, pet adoption sites. Look for black cats matching Bhuja's appearance—especially posts in CT, NY, MA.
• Status: This area is wide open for OSINT investigation and would benefit tremendously from crowdsourced research.

6. FERAL COLONIES & FEEDING STATIONS

• Supporting factors: Occasionally domestic cats join feeding stations even if not truly feral.
• Investigative angle: Are there unidentified feral cat colonies or informal feeding stations in the New Milford area beyond the one known location already checked?
• Status: Limited progress due to owner's remote location; local investigators or TNR volunteers with knowledge of the area would be invaluable.

7. SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE

• Supporting factors: Some residents and businesses keep archival footage for years. A black cat on the evening of Nov 10, 2021, could provide directionality clues.
• Investigative angle: Do any residents or businesses in the Robin Ridge/Carlson Ridge/Route 202 area have archived security footage from November 2021?
• Challenge: Reviewing four-year-old footage for a black cat requires significant time investment.
• Potential solution for OSINT researchers: Some security systems (Ring, Nest, Arlo) allow date/time filtering and motion detection review. If you have expertise in efficiently reviewing archived footage or can guide residents on how to search their systems for specific dates/times, this could be a breakthrough area.
• Specific request: November 10, 2021, afternoon/evening (approximately 3:00 PM - 6:00 AM on November 11, 2021); focus on Robin Ridge, Carlson Ridge, Park Lane Road, Orchard Hill, and Route 202 areas. Look for a black cat moving along roads, driveways, or following vehicles.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION:

• Submit tips via the website form.
• Include as much detail as possible: date, time, location, description, photos if available.
• Even uncertain sightings or "might be relevant" information is valuable.

IF YOU WORK IN A RELEVANT FIELD:

• Veterinary professionals: Please scan all black cats for microchips, even if they appear to have owners.
• Animal control/shelter staff: Check intake records from November 2021-present for black male cats.
• Real estate/property management: Review records for properties transacted in late 2021/early 2022.
• Moving/landscaping/construction: Check logs for any cat-related incidents in fall 2021.

IF YOU HAVE OSINT SKILLS:

• Review publicly available data (social media, classifieds, municipal records).
• Cross-reference sighting reports with geographic data.
• Identify potential leads for ground investigation.
• Map patterns or connections that may not be obvious.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE AREA:

• Check your property (sheds, garages, crawl spaces, under decks).
• Ask neighbors if they took in a stray cat around November 2021.
• Share this information in local community groups.
• If you have security camera footage from November 2021, please review for black cat sightings.

VERIFICATION & REWARD

LEGAL OWNERSHIP

• Bhuja's microchip is registered to the owner and legally establishes ownership under Connecticut law.
• If Bhuja is found in someone else's care, the owner requests his return and is willing to coordinate cooperatively.
• Anyone currently caring for Bhuja is not the target of blame; the focus is solely on getting him safely home.

VERIFICATION PROCESS

• Any cat suspected to be Bhuja must be scanned for microchip at a veterinary clinic or shelter.
• Microchip number must match 981020013910483.
• Owner or designated representative will confirm identity.

IF YOU FIND A BLACK CAT AND AREN'T SURE:

• Please take the cat to any veterinary clinic or shelter and request a microchip scan.
• If you cannot transport the cat yourself, contact local animal control or a nearby rescue for guidance.