Cat missing for five years turns up 1,200 miles away from home

Owner thinks pet went on ‘a great American adventure’

Sasha's owner gave up all hope of finding his beloved pet again (Santa Fe Animal Shelter)

A cat missing for five years was reportedly found 1,200 miles away from home and reunited with its owner.

Viktor Usov, from Portland, Oregon, assumed the worst after his cat Sasha went missing.

But he received a call from an animal shelter in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who told him his six-year-old, long-haired black cat had been found.

According to CNN, he said he thought at the time: “No way. That can’t be my cat. That must be a malfunctioning system.”

Although the cat was discovered wandering the streets without a collar, the shelter was able to trace its owner by scanning for a microchip, public relations officer Murad Kirdar told CNN.

Sasha was flown back to Portland this week and reunited with its shocked owner.

According to the BBC, Mr Usov said: “I couldn’t believe it.

“We thought the worst, but when we received the call, we were so thankful Sasha was alive and well.”

Just how and why the cat ended up in Santa Fe remains a mystery, but Mr Usov said he believes his cat “hitched a ride”.

He added: “I guess I want to think he was on a great American adventure.”

Mr Kirdar said the story showed the importance of microchipping pets as it is the only form of permanent identification.

The Independent has contact Santa Fe animal shelter for comment.