Missing cat leads owner to forgotten lottery ticket worth $150,000

Over the weekend, Russell Ruff lifted his mattress while looking for his cat and found both the pet and the ticket beneath the bed.

News 12 Staff

Jul 8, 2025, 11:46 AM

Updated 5 hr ago

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A Connecticut man is $150,000 richer after finding a forgotten Powerball ticket while searching for his missing cat.
Russell Ruff said he played Powerball back in June but lost track of the ticket. Over the weekend, he lifted his mattress while looking for his cat and found both the pet and the ticket beneath the bed.
"We had to lift the mattress out, and our cat was underneath there as a lucky charm," Ruff said. "She pointed it out. It was right near her."
After checking the numbers, Ruff realized he had matched four of the five numbers plus the Powerball. Because he added the Power Play option, his winnings totaled $150,000.