CONNAH’S QUAY, Wales — A cat named Artie, who vanished from his home in Wales in 2012, has miraculously reappeared after 12 years—thanks to a microchip and a lucky Facebook post.
Artie, an indoor-outdoor pet, disappeared one night in 2012 from his home in Connah’s Quay, leaving his family heartbroken. Despite months of searching, his owners, including Theo-Will McKenna, eventually gave up hope.
“After six months, I assumed something had happened to him or that someone else had taken him in,” McKenna told SWNS.
For over a decade, Artie’s whereabouts remained a mystery—until May 2025, when he turned up in a garden near his old neighborhood. The homeowners, noticing the frail feline lingering for four days, took him to a local vet, where a scan revealed his microchip.
Though the primary contact details were outdated, the chip still listed North Clwyd Animal Rescue (NCAR) as a secondary contact. NCAR collected Artie and shared his photo on Facebook in hopes of locating his family.
A friend of McKenna’s spotted the post and immediately recognized the long-lost cat. “It took me a second—he looked so skinny and scruffy,” McKenna admitted. “I thought, no way—it’s been 12 years. I was 17 when he went missing.”
Now 16, Artie required medical attention, including dental work, treatment for hyperthyroidism, and removal of precancerous ear lumps. NCAR assisted in his recovery before reuniting him with McKenna, who has since welcomed the senior cat back into his home alongside his other pet.
“He’s purring nonstop—he’s just happy to be loved again,” McKenna said. A fundraiser to cover Artie’s ongoing care has surpassed expectations, ensuring his golden years will be spent in comfort.
“After all this time,” McKenna added, “he’s right where he belongs.”
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