When life throws you curveballs, you deal with them head-on—or at least that’s what Jenna Bush Hager is showing us. The beloved Today co-host recently opened up about one of the toughest moments her family faced this summer: the disappearance of her daughter Mila’s beloved cat, Hollywood Hager. It’s the kind of heart-wrenching story that hits home for anyone who's ever lost a furry family member.
When Hollywood Went Missing
During the Wednesday, October 2, episode of Today, Jenna, now 42, couldn’t hide her emotions as she recounted discovering that Hollywood had gone missing. “Today is kind of a big day,” she began, her voice filled with a mix of nostalgia and sadness. “This summer, there were some beautiful things that happened, but one slightly heartbreaking thing in our family was that our beloved cat, Hollywood Hager, went missing.”
Jenna went on to share the weight of guilt she carried, explaining, “And the guilt that I felt around that because I just felt like it was kind of my fault.” She wasn’t alone in feeling this way—her cohost, Hoda Kotb, quickly chimed in to clarify that it was an accident. “Can we just say something? Your daughter was having a birthday party, and as kids come and go, the door was left wide open,” Hoda, 60, gently reminded everyone.
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The Family’s Desperate Search
Jenna confirmed the door had been left open during the chaos of the party, which left her questioning her decisions. “I was like, ‘Oh, I invited some kids over. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that,’” she admitted. But instead of letting the guilt consume her, Jenna turned the experience into a lesson. “What it’s taught me is that she was Mila’s cat, and we’ve been waiting—not just waiting, but doing everything we can to find the kitty. Everything you could possibly think of.”
For those who don’t know, Jenna shares three beautiful children with her husband, Henry Hager: Mila, Poppy, and Hal. Losing Hollywood wasn’t just about losing a pet; it was about losing a cherished member of their tight-knit family.
A Bonding Moment Amidst Heartbreak
While the situation was undeniably painful, Jenna found solace in the connection it fostered between her and Mila. “I said to Henry after it happened, ‘Do you think this is happening because right before Mila goes into middle school and that kind of funky pre-teenage time, she and I have just bonded in a way?’” Jenna revealed. “For the first three nights that the cat was gone, she slept with me, and we had these conversations around all of these really beautiful things about life, about love, about pain, about loss. And I could be there for her, and she could be there for me.”
While Jenna understands that not everyone might grasp the depth of her emotions, she expressed why this loss hit so hard. “And I know, some of y’all are just going to be like, ‘It’s just a cat,’ but what it is watching a child’s heart hurt,” she said, emphasizing the emotional toll it took on her family.
Hope for Hollywood’s Return
Despite the heartache, Jenna and her family decided to adopt another cat, hoping it might bring Hollywood back. “We went on Sunday and met a little baby kitty, which Mila is going to be adopting,” Jenna revealed. “So we’re going to have a new member of our household, and hopefully Holly will smell that little kitty and be like, ‘Who’s getting in there with my parents?’ And come back.”
Hoda added context to Jenna’s emotional journey, sharing, “If you’re listening, you’re probably like, ‘Wait, wait, they lost a cat, and now they’ve found another cat?’ This has happened over the course of many months and a lot of pain. And every day that Jenna stood here, and sometimes right before that we went on, you were crying—not just about the loss of your cat, but about Mila, your kids.”
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Throughout the months, Jenna’s pain was palpable. “Every single guest who came in, Jenna had a full-on conversation before we went on the air about the cat,” Hoda revealed, highlighting just how much Jenna’s heart was in this search.
Mila’s Reaction to the New Addition
Jenna shared how Mila reacted to the idea of adopting a new cat. “I would get texts, I would get a message. Mila would have her computer for school, and she would say, ‘Mommy, I miss her so much,’” Jenna said, showing the depth of Mila’s attachment to Hollywood. But when they introduced the new kitten, Mila was thrilled. “She met the little kitty, and she said to me, ‘I haven’t stopped thinking about her all day,’” Jenna shared, bringing a glimmer of hope to their story.
