Chicago

10 Years Later, Family is Reunited With Cat They Were Told Had Died

It has been 10 years since Oliver the cat accidentally got out of his home in suburban Lake Zurich.

After weeks of searching, his owners were told by their microchip company that Oliver had passed away. 

Now, "Oliie," as he's affectionately called, has been reunited with his family in an unexpected Chicago surprise.

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Oliver had somehow managed to travel from Lake Zurich to downtown Chicago, where he was being cared for by a "cat colony caretaker," PAWS Chicago wrote on Instagram.

He was brought to PAWS Chicago over the weekend for a "trap neuter and release" appointment by that caretaker. 

"When we scanned for a microchip, we found out that it was registered to a family in Lake Zurich and he had been missing for 10 years," PAWS Chicago wrote. "The microchip company reported that the animal had passed away. We gave his family the unexpected call of a lifetime and they were overjoyed!"

Oliver's owners picked him up soon after, with the shelter reporting they were "overjoyed."

"As you can imagine, Ollie’s family is over the moon about his safe return," the post read. "Their daughter Laura had picked Oliver to be part of their family 10 years ago and reunited with him [Monday]!"

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The shelter said the story amplifies the importance of microchipping animals. 

"Ollie is proof of how lifechanging microchips truly are!" PAWS Chicago wrote.

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