For family in Munich, Germany, however, their search was not as fruitful. When their kitten Poldi ran away 16 years ago, they searched for him for several months without any luck. To the amazement of everyone, their beloved cat finally came back home last week.
Now a senior, Poldi was discovered in a forest approximately 20 miles from his previous home. The hiker who spotted the kitty, rescued Poldi and took him to a nearby animal welfare clinic. Poldi was not in good condition and was missing all of his front teeth. The vet reported that he obviously didn't feel well.
While microchipping was not a popular thing 16 years ago, the family did have Poldi tattooed on his ear. The vet spotted this marking and was able to contact his human owner, Monika Moser.
Of course, Moser was more than shocked to hear that her long lost kitty had been safely found. She gave up hope on locating him many years ago. Poldi spent many days at the vet's office, but we can happily report that he is back at his childhood home with a family who loves him dearly.
While this story has a happy ending, there were also many years of heartache while Poldi was missing. I urge all pet owners to get their animals registered in their towns. Have them microchipped so that they can be easily returned. Make them wear a collar at all times with a name tag. Indoor animals are less likely to get lost, but even the most protective owners are sometimes unable to prevent a runaway.