A family in Berlin, Germany received a surprise Christmas gift when their black and white cat Miko returned home after it went missing in 2008. They learned on Christmas Day that their family cat had been found seven years after running away. The pet feline was found a few kilometers from its home and its family was notified based on the data on the cat's identity chip.
A local association for the protection of animals announced the news about the lost cat. It was on December 26, Saturday.
The family lives in the neighborhood of Charlottenburg. Their furry feline was found a couple of kilometers away in the neighborhood of Keuzber.
Elena Hanke was 11 years old when she searched for her missing cat, according to The Guardian. She went with her father and sister Jennifer to pick up Miko from the animal shelter last week.
The veterinarian at the animal shelter explained that the runaway cat was a little too thin. However, the domesticated animal was still healthy.
Experts explain that when cats run away from home they often go somewhere near and then hide. They frequently only go a maximum of five houses away, but the farther they go the more difficult it is for them to find their way home.
In addition, experts also recommend strapping on an ID collar and microchipping cats. Dr. Karen Halligan is the chief veterinary officer at the Lucy Pet Foundation. She explains that there is always hope of finding a cat if it has identification, according to The Denver Post.
Here are helpful tips for finding a lost pet: