"Archie" has turned up

House cat on an odyssey across Austria

When the missing house cat "Archie" was found, he had an injury and needed an operation.(Bild: Christian Schulter)

Cat "Archie" disappeared in the Tyrolean winter, but now the runaway has reappeared in Burgenland in the summer. The cat had to be operated on, but is doing well. They are now looking for a ride home. 

Too bad animals can't talk. Because if they could, the lively tomcat "Archie" would probably have a lot to tell. His accounts would certainly fill an entire book, which has all the makings of a bestseller. But the basic facts alone are worth a story, revealing the extraordinary facets of a cat's life without any meowing or purring.

Disappeared at the beginning of March
It is certain that "Archie" disappeared on March 2. The then ten-month-old cat did not return to his cozy home after his usual walk around a housing estate in Innsbruck.

 "We miss 'Archie' and hope that he will be found soon. If anyone sees him, please let us know," the owner posted on an internet platform for missing and found animals in Tyrol. In order to recognize the missing cat straight away, she added as a special feature that one of his brown eyes had darker pigment parts. "Archie" was also noted to be rather shy.

In 20 weeks, tomcat "Archie" has traveled from Innsbruck with the Golden Roof to Oberwart.(Bild: Schulter Christian)

500 kilometers away from home 
Not a day went by without the owners longing for their four-legged darling to return and worrying about him. But as the months passed, there was no sign of life from the cat. The Tyrolean owner had almost given up hope when she received the good news that her missing cat had unexpectedly turned up.

"Archie" is said to have been discovered in southern Burgenland, specifically near Oberwart. This means that the velvet paw has been on a veritable odyssey to the east for 20 weeks. Almost 500 kilometers lie between Innsbruck with its famous Golden Roof and the town of 8,000 inhabitants with its Pannonian charm on the Pinka river.

Looking for a lift
The injured cat had to be operated on. One last hurdle still needs to be overcome: Now the owner is looking for a ride for the house cat: "Maybe someone from eastern Austria is on vacation in Tyrol and can take 'Archie' with them." Kind-hearted animal lovers are keeping their fingers crossed for a "happy ending".