Annalie Duffell says “escape artist” Souske has settled right back into indoor life after being away for years. Photo: Annalie Duffell.
When their two “escape artist” cats made a dash for freedom three years ago, this Canberra family thought they’d never see them again.
The Duffell family adopted Souske and Fluffy about four years ago after the loss of their daughter.
“They were both very good companions for my boys … they had something to cuddle at night, [and] because of what we’d all just been through,” mum Annalie told Region.
In early 2022, both cats found their way outside when the bins were being taken out.
The family searched for the missing cats, but there was no sign of the pair.
“We called around and put up posters, went door-knocking to look for Souske and his brother, Fluffy,” she said.
“One of the things I neglected to do when we moved to Denman Prospect [and then NSW] was to update their microchips, because it had been so long that I thought, ‘Well, they’re gone’.”
But one of the pair ended up somewhere that wasn’t very far away.
The journey home started when Canberra Street Cat Alliance (CSCA) volunteers were called out to Oaks Estate.
The organisation was on the scene to trap some ‘unowned’ cats in the area so they could be de-sexed, when he came up to them.
CSCA trapped him and took him to a vet for a check-up, only to find a microchip.
CSCA president Vanessa Parton said it was the beginning of an unusual tale.
“He’d been there for a few years and was affectionately known as ‘Big Dog’ by the staff out there,” she said.
“He’s tabby and white, while the rest of the colony are tabby [cats]. We assumed he was one of the colony, so it was a surprise when we got that call from the vet!”
She said the vet was unable to tell them too much due to privacy concerns, but was able to give them the kitty’s name (Souske), his birth year, and that his last known address was in Yarralumla.
Attempts to reunite the cat and owner were frustrated by an out-of-date phone number, but then CSCA came across a Facebook post from three years ago.
It called for people to keep an eye out for two cats missing from Yarralumla.
And one was a very familiar-looking tabby called Souske.
Ms Parton said the reunion showed how important it was for people to keep microchip details up-to-date and accurate.
“It’s something that people overlook when you’re moving, because you’ve got so many other things to manage,” she said.
“It is absolutely essential to reunite pets with their owners. It’s given Souske, after years on the street, the opportunity to live with his family again.”
That’s a sentiment echoed by Ms Duffell.
“If it weren’t for the microchip, we wouldn’t have got him back. There would have been no way to prove that he was part of our family.
“It’s just so important to have your pets microchipped, even if you’re planning on having them indoors their whole lives.
“Anyone could have claimed him.”
Since returning to indoor life, she said Souske has been bonding with the family’s dogs and was getting used to a younger feline sibling.
Despite his time living outdoors, he’s in good condition.
“He’s completely healthy. I think he’s gotten fatter since he came home!
“He settled in straight away. He just came home, jumped on the couch, found his favourite spot and went to sleep.”
In an unrelated case, fellow cat Zephyr also returned home last year after living outside for six years when his microchip was scanned. He had been spooked by a storm and escaped his McKellar home.
Pet owners can check which register their pet is on by entering the microchip number at PetAddress.com.au. As of earlier this year, the only registries this will not show are two government ones (those in NSW and South Australia).
In the ACT, all cats must be microchipped, which can be done by Domestic Animal Services, RSPCA ACT or a vet. In NSW, all cats and dogs must be microchipped before being sold or given away, or by 12 weeks of age.
