When a pet goes missing, their owners are left to wonder if they’ll ever return. This was true for one family and their beloved cat named Artie. In 2012, Artie wandered away from his home and didn’t return. His family searched tirelessly for him for over six months before they finally gave up hope. The details of Artie’s whereabouts during the next twelve years remain a mystery, but in May 2024, he was found lounging in a garden close to where he once lived. Artie spent four days in that garden, showing no signs of leaving.

The residents of the house, unaware of his history, took him to a veterinarian who discovered a microchip embedded in Artie’s body. The microchip was registered under the name of Theo-Will McKenna’s mother, although the contact number linked back to the shelter where Artie was originally registered. “The chip was still registered in my mom’s name but the contact number was from the shelter where we took Artie in the first place,” Theo McCann recounted.

After being alerted, the shelter retrieved Artie from the veterinarian and posted his photos on Facebook in hopes of reconnecting him with his family. A friend of Theo’s came across the post and immediately recognized Artie as Theo’s long-lost pet, quickly passing along the news.

The reunion was surreal for Theo. “It took me a second to recognize him because he looked so bedraggled and skinny,” he said. The shock of seeing Artie again was overwhelming. “It didn’t feel real. I thought there was no way it could be him. It had been 12 years. He went missing when I was 17. I thought no cat could survive 12 years on the street,” Theo added.

The shelter staff were instrumental in Artie’s recovery. They treated him with great care, performing medical procedures to extract some of his teeth, treat his hyperthyroidism, and remove precancerous tumors in his ears. Their efforts made it possible for Artie to return home healthier.

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Their reunion brought Theo to tears. Now back at home, Artie has settled in with Theo’s new cat, and the two are getting along well. Artie shows his appreciation for his new life every day; he begins purring loudly every time Theo approaches. The reunion marks a joyful closure to the family’s long ordeal and a new beginning in a loving home.

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