Microchip helps reunite Rufus with owner after more than a month

It was a happy ending for Rufus the 14-year-old city cat who was found about 20km from home more than a month after he went missing.

Harvey Jean reunited with her 14-year-old cat Rufus who was missing for more than one month.

IT was a happy ending for Rufus the 14-year-old Brisbane cat who was found about 20km from home more than a month after he went missing.

Harvey Jean of Paddington said she had given up hope of seeing Rufus again after he disappeared through an open window one night.

Then, one month and two days later, she received a call from staff at the Warra Rehoming Centre at Fitzgibbon, who were able to trace her through the cat’s microchip.

Harvey Jean relaxing with Rufus.

“When I got the call I thought it couldn’t be him as it was so far away but they said my name was on his microchip,” Ms Jean said.

“If the Animal Rehoming Centre wasn’t able to scan his microchip and have that contact number, they would never have found me.”

Ms Jean, who has owned Rufus for 11 years, said she had been so upset when he went missing.

“Every day I was looking for him constantly; it never stopped. I thought I could see him out of the corner of my eye and I was just sad. He’s a very sweet cat.

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“When I saw him (at Warra) he was a bit overwhelmed; there were heaps of cats around.

“I picked him up and took him home. As soon as he got home he ate some tuna and treats, lay on the couch, gave a huge sigh of relief and he went to sleep.

“I’m so happy to have him back.”

Rufus, 14, has been reunited with his feline brother Tobias, 5.

Animal Welfare League Queensland State Rehoming Manager Melinda Phipps said Rufus was lucky his owner made sure he was microchipped and the details were kept up to date.

“A staff member noticed Rufus (wandering around the front gates at Warra) and managed to scoop him up,” Ms Phipps said.

“We are not sure how he came to be wandering outside the Warra Animal Rehoming Centre, whether someone had picked him up close to the Paddington area, and then perhaps he escaped from them when they were bringing him into the centre.”

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Ms Phipps said Brisbane’s AWLQ centres received more than 2800 cats and dogs last financial year that were not microchipped, substantially reducing the chances of them being reunited with their owners.

“A microchipped cat or dog with up-to-date contact details allows the finder to go to the nearest vet clinic or Animal Rehoming Centre to have the animal scanned for a microchip, and then the owner can be contacted straight away.

“This reduces the stress to your pet as they are reunited quickly, and the owner’s stress of wondering where their pet is.”

Animal Welfare League Queensland State Rehoming Manager Melinda Phipps. Picture: Jerad Williams

Ms Phipps said there were multiple database companies that kept microchip records.

“It is recommended you make a careful note of your pet’s microchip number and of the name and contact details of the microchip database company your dog or cat is registered with, and keep it on the fridge or nearby, so that you can update your details whenever you move or your phone number changes,” she said.

Under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008, cats and dogs must be microchipped by the seller when sold, given away by the person giving away the animal or before reaching the age of 12 weeks.