The strange case of 'Ozzie' the Australian cat who turned up in Northern Ireland

A cat found in a backgarden in Northern Ireland was traced back to its owners - in Australia.

The globe-trotting moggy was presumed to be a stray when it was found in County Armagh earlier this week.

But when a Cats Protection volunteer collected the animal and took him to a vet to scan his microchip, she was amazed to discover that the cat was called Tigger and registered in Sydney, Australia, some 17,000 km (10,655 miles) from his current location.

Not only is this cat well travelled, he is something of an elder statesman too: the data from the chip suggests he was born in 1989, making the feline 25 years old.

Cats Protection workers have have mounted a global campaign to reunite Tigger with his owner, and have given him the nickname, Ozzie.

Co-ordinator Gillian McMullen says:

Gillian also says that Tigger/Ozzie turned up in 2004 as a stray at a clinic in London, but attempts to trace his owners failed.

“We have our paws crossed on solving the mystery of Ozzie our travelling cat!”

Do you have any information about Ozzie? Get in touch with Cats Protection’s Armagh Branch via armaghcats@hotmail.co.uk or 07709 483 550.