Wayward kitty reunited with owners

Frank the Bengal cat has returned home.

After about nine months away, a Kingsville kitty is back with his owners this week and starting to readjust to life in the house he called home for the last five years.

Frank and his brother were adopted as two-year-old rescues from Florida about five years ago by Chris and Bob Harkness.

After a month or so, it was apparent that Frank’s brother was not going to adjust to his new surroundings and the Harknesses contacted the rescue centre, who took him back.

But Frank stayed and flourished with the Harkness family and despite his loud vocalizations, was quite content in his neighbourhood.

Last Labour Day weekend, Chris was out on the back deck and watched Frank jump up on top of the back fence in their yard.

“He jumped up there, looked back at me and jumped into the field behind,” said Chris from her Kingsville home last week. “I never saw him again.”

She says she put his picture on social media and spread the word.

Bengal cats are quite distinctive with their short shiny coat, long legs and tail and loud vocalization. About a month later she got a message from someone between Leamington and Kingsville who said they saw Frank, but after looking around the area, they gave up.

“I cried,” said Chris. “We figured he was long gone.”

When her phone rang last Wednesday, May 29 — it was her husband Bob who was away for work — Chris assumed it was a routine call.

He said, “You won’t believe it. Frank’s alive,” says Chris.

A call had come from the South Carolina firm that had installed Frank’s microchip so many years ago. Frank had been found in Windsor and turned in to the Humane Society.

Chris picked him up on May 30 and brought him back home.

“He’s mad because I won’t let him out,” she said. “But I’m glad he’s here.”

Frank has spent the past few days reacclimating himself with his home while Chris is busy trying to come up with a solution to allow the strong-willed feline outside for some fresh air.

Chris credits the microchipping with bringing Frank back into the fold.

“If ever there was a testament to getting your pets microchipped, this is it,” she said. “I’m happy to have him home.”