| Australian cat strays 2400 miles returns home

Australian-cat-strays-2,400-miles,-returns-home HOBART, Australia - A cat named Clyde was reunited with his owner on Wednesday after a mysterious three-year odyssey in which the long-haired Himalayan strayed 2,400 miles  into the Australian Outback.

Ashleigh Sullivan, 19, said she had given up hope of ever finding Clyde after he vanished when he was about one year old from her family home near Hobart city in Australias island state of Tasmania.

Im positive he remembers. Hes not acting like hes suddenly appeared somewhere and is frantic, Sullivan said as she tearfully held her contented cat.

A nurse found Clyde wandering at a hospital in the remote Queensland state town of Cloncurry and cared for him for four months before taking him to a local vet as she was leaving town and could not take the cat with her.

The vet, Donna Weber, traced Clydes owner from an identification microchip that was imbedded under the cats skin.

But no one has a clue how Clyde managed the 185-mile sea journey across the Bass Strait from Tasmania off mainland Australias southeast coast, and then about more than 2,000 miles overland to Cloncurry, deep in the arid interior of the Outback.

An animal transport company returned the cat to Hobart for free — flying most of the way.

Its pretty special to have him back. Sullivan said. Im overwhelmed.

- | Australian cat strays 2400 miles returns home |