Missing Cat From PA Found Wandering Around NY State

FORT PLAIN, NY — A cat that had been missing from central Pennsylvania for months was found in New York this week, after making his way hundreds of miles from home and across state lines.

The Montgomery County SPCA in New York recently told the pretty unbelievable tale of Dex, a feline from Williamsport, Pennsylvania who somehow made his way some 200 miles away from home and was discovered in the village of Fort Plain, which is close to 90 miles east of Syracuse.

"When Dex first came to the shelter, we cleaned him up and went to see if he had a microchip," the SPCA wrote on its Facebook page on Nov. 11. "We were happy to see that he did, and all of his family's address and information were in the system."

The SPCA said thanks to the microchip, the family from Pennsylvania was able to come and reunite with their pet, who had been missing since early August.

The organization reported that since the summer, the family had "searched and searched, but could never find him. They have no idea how he ended up in Montgomery County!"

The family, the SPCA said, ventured up to New York to pick up Dex last week. He was spotted roaming a neighborhood for a few days by a "very kind animal lover" who brought him to the SPCA.

The Montgomery County SPCA says that the story of Dex highlights the importance of microchipping pets.

"Pets have been recovered after many months and hundreds of miles away, thanks to these chips," the organization wrote.

Some people who commented on the SPCA's Facebook post wondered whether any New Yorkers who had traveled to Williamsport for the Little League World Series recently had accidentally, or purposefully, brought the cat back to the Empire State with them.

"I wonder if he happened to hitch a ride from one of us without our knowing," posted Lori Schriner. "Yes, crazy, but anything is possible."

Another commenter wrote that perhaps someone thought the cat was feral and took Dex home with them.

Whatever the case, Dex's family is surely happy to have their little one back home with them in Pennsylvania. The SPCA wrote that the owners were "thrilled to be able to reunite with their beloved pet."