For grey nomads who travel with their pets, the thought of losing them somewhere in the Outback is perhaps the ultimate nightmare.
Sadly though, it can and does happen … and the outcome is normally not good.
But caravanner, Murray Rantall, was one of the lucky ones.
7News reports that he was travelling from Warrnambool in Victoria to Darwin in June when he made a pit stop on the Stuart Highway to allow his Burmese cat, Raj, to go use the litter box in the caravan.
Murray went for a quick walk, came back, and then drove off, assuming his 14-year-old pet was still inside.
All smiles! Raj is a Burmese cat like this one. PIC: Mariya / Pexels
It was only when he stopped 200 kilometres down the road at Glendambo that he realised Raj wasn’t in the caravan.
“I was just about bawling … I knew he was in trouble,” Murray – who recently lost his wife – told 7News.
He immediately went back to where he had previously stopped, and his daughter, Katrina, drove from Victoria to South Australia to help in the search … but Raj was nowhere to be found.
The Ratal family put up social media posts urging people travelling in the South Australian Outback to keep an eye out for the cat … but they did so more in hope than expectation.
However, some two months after he’d gone missing, Raj was found in Port Augusta, about 50 kilometres from where he had run away.
7News reports that the cat was spotted in Milla Dey’s backyard a week ago.
“I just saw that he was there and covered in prickles,” she said. “We got him some food and water and he spent probably 15 to 20 minutes just eating.”
Thanks to the family’s social media posts, Raj – who had lost a significant amount of weight – has now been reunited with a delighted Murray.
“We were sort of looking after each other more or less,” he said. “It’s unbelievable, the help I’ve had.”
Port Augusta City Council animal control officer Kylie McKerlie told 7News the reunion was thanks to the care and dedication of the local community.
“It’s just a really good town and a really good feeling for everyone,” she said.
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Amazing story & so glad you found your cat. I have never lost a pet & don’t know how I’d cope if it happened to me. My dog is very well trained & is always on a lead when out & about but being a border collie if she sees something to chase obedience goes out the window & I do sometimes wonder if I”d be strong enough to hold on to her.
How many small animals & birds lost their lives to sustain a cat?