It’s the purrfect ending that amazed Marisa Grossi never thought would happen.
When her pet tomcat Garfield disappeared from home in Riccione near Rimini in the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, four years ago she thought she would never see him again.
Despite showering her neighbourhood with leaflets and posters Garfield never showed up and heartbroken Marisa believed she’d lost him forever.
But amazed Marisa has told how her ginger tom has turned up on her doorstep as if nothing had ever happened.
Garfield, now 15, reappeared while Maria was parking outside her home.
She told local media on 30th October: “I stopped the car to let a staggering cat pass. Shortly after I saw him heading towards my house.”
Overjoyed Marisa added: “Once I got out of the car, I took him in my arms, determined to take him to the vet. He immediately rubbed his muzzle against my chin as he used to do.
“My heart sank, especially when my scratches aroused the domineering purr that I knew well. I’m over the moon.”
Marisa admitted she feared that Garfield, who had never wandered beyond the garden fence, had deliberately left her to die as sick cats often do.
Vets later confirmed Garfield’s identity by scanning the microchip implanted before he went missing.
Although he’d lost a lot of weight, vets said the prodigal puss was otherwise healthy.
Marisa told how starving Garfield wolfed down one kilogramme of dry food in his first 36 hours back home.
The tomcat, whose return after going missing on 15th May 2019 has been seen as an early Christmas present by Marisa, immediately took back the sofa by chasing away a recently adopted dog.
She explained: “They have become friends but Garfield is in charge.
“My only regret is that another dog of mine, the one who had grown up with Garfield, had died in the meantime.”
Marisa said on social media on 29th October: “Garfield, after more than four years, has returned home.
“Exhausted, dehydrated and reduced to tissue paper, but not in danger of his life.
“I am over the moon and I never thought that, after looking for him everywhere, I would be able to hug him again.”
Marisa concluded: “This year he turned 15. Life is full of magnificent moments.”
Netizens were delighted by the news.
‘Monica Cinti’ said: “What a beautiful, fantastic story!”
Another user, ‘Francesco Marchetti’, added: “What a happy ending! Now that he is back I hope he can live a long time and recover physically and emotionally.”
‘Marina Oldano’ commented: “I’m really happy for you.”
‘Maria Rosa Casagrande’ emphasised: “Poor guy! Who knows where he was and how much he has been through.”
And ‘Simona Med’ said: “Welcome home! Life is truly wonderful.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Thomas Hochwarter, Sub-Editor: Thomas Hochwarter, Agency: Central European News
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