DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A local Dayton family is counting their blessings this year. Their cat went missing for weeks and truly, they started losing hope, until they got an unexpected phone call all thanks to its microchip.

“They said Wilmette and I had never heard of that place,” said owner Mal Thokey. “When I asked here, they said about 20 minutes outside of Chicago.”

Over 300 miles away, Dayton cat Muffins went on an adventure of a lifetime, one that left his rescuers speechless.

“We were both in shock and in denial,” said Terry Animal Hospital Technician Abigail Urostegui. “I sent her a video of muffins and she said that it was him!”

Seventeen-year-old Muffins went missing for several weeks, leaving his owners Stephen Strohmenger and Mal worried and devastated. Countless posts on social media and missing posters in their neighborhood went unanswered and left them wondering what happened to Muffins. Truly, he was nowhere to be found. At least, not here in Ohio.

Over in Illinois, a kind family brought him to Terry Animal Hospital where Technician Abigail Urostegui scanned Muffin for a microchip, revealing his Ohio address.

“Sure enough, we found the microchip and her information was updated which was amazing so we were able to reunite them and Muffins seems very, very happy to be back home,” said Urostegui.

Stephen and Mal immediately drove through the night to get their Muffins back. They are now microchip enthusiasts, they have no idea how Muffins traveled 300 miles but they are just thankful he’s back in the Buckeye State, where he’s supposed to be.

“If he hadn’t been microchipped we wouldn’t have found him, people in Chicago wouldn’t have seen our Facebook posts or posters here,” said Stephen. “If he wasn’t microchipped, we probably never would have seen him again because they wouldn’t have known who to return him to.”

Many of the local shelters across the Miami Valley do microchipping specials during the holiday season, some as low as $15 with no appointment needed. To find the latest microchip deal, check out the Humane Society of Greater Dayton or SICSA.

To listen to the Analogue Thoughts on Muffin’s Story, click here!