Mo, before he went missing. Photo: Supplied / Paul Myburgh
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Christmas has come early for an Auckland man who's been reunited with his cat who went missing 14 years ago.
Paul Myburgh's family adopted Mo from the SPCA in 2010. The ginger tabby quickly charmed just about anyone he met, according to Myburgh.
"He was an incredibly friendly cat. Very charismatic, loved human beings, would always walk up to the bus stop when he knew we were coming home."
Mo had a tendency to follow anyone who showed him attention or gave him treats. Myburgh said that friendliness toward strangers could have led to his disappearance.
"Normally he'd come home, but then one day in 2011 he didn't and we were devastated. We obviously put up leaflets all around the suburb, contacted the local vets, put something up on the Auckland pets lost and found but there were no sightings, there were no leads."
Mo, before he went missing. Photo: Supplied / Paul Myburgh
In the 14 years since he went missing, Myburgh said his family lost hope that Mo might return.
"Over time, when the nights became years, we thought we'd lost him forever.
"We moved four years after he went missing and, yes, by that stage we'd resigned ourselves to the fact that he'd either met an unfortunate end or certainly wasn't coming back."
But that all changed when Myburgh received an email from Petstock Vet Constellation Drive while he was out grocery shopping.
"They said, 'We've found this cat called Mo and we've checked the register, and your name and your daughter's name was on the register.'
"I was just completely dumbfounded. I just couldn't believe it, but the details matched up. So, I ran to the car, rang the vet clinic immediately and then told my son and we went to pick him up."
Mo after his 14-year adventure. Photo: Supplied / Paul Myburgh
Despite being separated for more than a decade, Myburgh said Mo had not changed much.
"The astonishing thing is although he's obviously grown a huge amount - so he's grown into his kangaroo paws - he's exactly the same cat. Incredibly friendly. Just kind, wants to be around people all the time, absolutely fascinated with everything going on around him - mainly to check if it's food or not.
"Exactly the same personality, which is just astonishing because he's obviously been through quite a few hard things."
What Mo got up to in the time he was gone is anyone's best guess.
"It's very hard to know," Myburgh said. "He was found recently on the streets of Torbay, which is 16km away from where he went missing. From the look of him he's not been to a vet in all that time, so I suspect for at least part of it he's been living rough."
If Mo had not been chipped or registered on the NZ Companion Animal Register, Myburgh reckons his story would not have had such a happy ending.
"I mean, the chances of a 16-year-old, slightly battered cat getting rehomed are pretty much nil. I'm a member of the grumpy old men club, but this is just heartwarming. I mean, it's the best Christmas present I've ever gotten."
Mo will live the rest of his life in luxury, his owner says. Photo: Supplied / Paul Myburgh
Myburgh was determined to make up for lost time and pamper Mo as much as he could through his golden years.
"He's now going to have a safe and happy retirement and he's going to be spoilt rotten."
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