Scottish Cat Missing 11 Years Reunites with Owner After Rescuers Find Him 80 Miles from Home

Cats Protection

Fergus the cat is back in his owner's arms after 11 years away.

According to the BBC, in 2010, the brown tabby disappeared from his home in Forres, Scotland.

Fergus' pet parent had no idea where the animal went until this month when a Cats Protection volunteer found the cat living as a stray near a recycling center in Aberdeen, 80 miles from Forres.

The volunteer brought the feline to be checked for a microchip and discovered a chip loaded with the contact info for Fergus' owner, Fiona Mutter.

"It was such a surprise to get the call that Fergus was alive," Mutter told the BBC.

Fergus

"He was always prone to wandering and would sometimes go off for a few days at a time, but one day he just never came back. We sadly assumed something had happened to him," she added.

It remains a mystery how Fergus spent the last 11 years, but his rescuers believe the cat likely hitched a ride to Aberdeen on a vehicle.

RELATED: Cat That Went Missing 15 Years Ago Finally Reunites with Her Owner: 'It's Amazing'

After over a decade of adventure, Fergus appears ready to settle down. Since moving back home, the cat has been catching up on 11 years of cuddles from Mutter.

Cats Protection

"He was so happy to be handled and stroked, he has such a loud purr," the owner said.

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Mutter added that she believes that Fergus spent some of his time away in another home because "his coat is so shiny, and he's so friendly, that there's no way he has been living outside all this time. Someone has been taking good care of him."

Cats Protection sees Fergus's amazing reunion as a perfect example of why microchipping your pet is essential.