Tuxie Cat Marko’s Unique Markings Help Bring Him Home After 6 Years Missing
February 17, 2022
It’s a good thing Marko has a triangular black splotch on his cute nose. Because that black splotch is what helped his owner, Nikki Rose, find him after he’d been missing for six years. The fluffy, black-and-white cat typically didn’t care much for going outside and was mainly an indoor cat.
But like many cats, he got scared while he and his human were in the middle of moving from Cambridgeshire to March, in the UK, and escaped in January 2016. Nikki says there were sightings of him over the years. Even so, he was one wily cat who evaded capture, BBC News reports.
Image credit: Nikki Rose via BBC
Marko Was Lost In Unfamiliar Surroundings
Just a year old, Marko wasn’t used to the outdoors He was lost in an area he knew nothing about and Nikki was afraid for his safety. So Rose searched for her beloved kitty, even going back to her former home, But Marko was nowhere to be seen.
What it’s like to Work with Cats!
But then, after all these years, a large, fluffy black-and-white cat started showing up in a garden about 0.8 km from Nikki’s house, and the resident there recognized Marko’s “very distinctive markings” from lost pet websites. He was gobbling up food she’d left outside for her own cats. And once she realized this was Marko, she borrowed a trap and lured him in with extra food.
Image: Julie Holder via BBC
An Angel On Earth.
Nikki, of course, can’t help but be happy that Marko is now back home. And for her, Julie Holder, who trapped Marko is “the most amazing woman — an angel on Earth.” She trapped the furry fugitive last week, nearly six years to the day he vanished.
Right now, a very worn-out Marko is recuperating in a cage until he receives vet care and vaccinations. Nikki has another kitty at home and wants to avoid the risk of infection.
Nikki Rose
Marko Is Just As Lovable As Ever.
He’s happy to be home and Nikki and her family are thrilled their baby is safe again.
Nikki Rose with Marco
“I think he recognizes his name and he is just as cuddly as he was when he was a kitten,” she says.
“I just broke down in tears when I first saw him — I could not believe he had been found.”
The stress of living on the street is plain to see, however.
“He’s definitely been sleeping rough and he’s very dirty and his matted fur is covered in oil, but he’s eating and talking to us and having lots of cuddles.
Nikki adds that she and her family never gave up hope that Marko was alive and managing to find food.
“I tried to be positive and hope that someone out there was loving him and feeding him — but it turns out he had been loving and feeding himself all this time.”
Poor little Marko. That’s a rough go. But I’m glad he’s safe at home and getting all the love and attention he deserves. I don’t know if this beautiful cat is microchipped, but it’s the best chance we have of finding cats that are lost. And while this may seem unnecessary, it’s also a good idea to microchip your cat even if she’s indoor-only. Marko’s story makes it clear why this is a good idea. Cats are escape artists.
Why Microchipping Is Important
Freeport Veterinary Hospital notes that Home Again, a national pet recovery database found that “less than two percent of cats without microchips were returned home. However, if a cat is microchipped, the return-to-owner rate is 20 times higher than if the cat is not microchipped.”
If you decide to have your feline friend microchipped, make sure the chip registration is correct. You should also update the registration if there have been any changes (like a move for instance).
It’s heartwarming to see that Marko will now have a life of love and comfort once again.
Featured images: BBC, Nikki Rose, Julie Holder