As far as pets go, cats are in a league of their own.

Far from being best buddy companions like dogs are, cats are like the princes and princesses of the house. YOU are their human and not the other way around. Perhaps this is why the ancient Egyptians saw cats as being very close to the divine because there’s simply no way that they’ll take no for an answer.

And to show just how epic cats are when it comes to metaphorically thumbing their noses at their owners, one Oregon man was left both ecstatic and scratching his head after the cat that he reported missing five years ago was finally found…1,200 miles away from home.

Sasha, a black cat, was found in the streets of Santa Fe, New Mexico, which by any measure is a long way from his Portland home.

Luckily for Sasha, he had a microchip that the Santa Fe Animal Shelter was able to scan and was, therefore, able to track down his owner.

Viktor Usov, Sasha’s owner, said that the had lost hope of ever seeing his cat again when he reported him missing five years ago.

He told the animal shelter, “I couldn’t believe it. We thought the worst, but when we received the call, we were so thankful Sasha was alive and well.”

It’s still unclear how Sasha made it all the way to Santa Fe but Usov thinks that his pet, who is friendly, had “hitched a ride” with someone.

“I guess I want to think he was on a great American adventure,” he said.

In the meantime, Murad Kirdar, a public relations officer at the Santa Fe shelter, said that Sasha’s case is a clear example of why it’s important to microchip pets.

He said in a statement, “A simple microchip, which is the size of a grain of rice and is implanted under the pet’s skin, helped us find the guardian of this missing cat.”

He added that microchips are “permanent, with a unique number that cannot fall off, be altered, or be removed” and this makes them the most reliable form of pet identification.

Sasha was flown back to Portland care of American Airlines. Airline spokesman Curtis Blessing said that the airline was “honored” to play its part in the reunion.

“We’re glad to have provided a happy ending to Sasha’s long journey,” he said.

 

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