Cat who wandered from Albuquerque to Chicago now heading home

Cat wandered from Albuquerque to Chicago

CHICAGO — Contrary to myth, Charles the cat probably has only one life, and he probably put it at risk wandering 1,300 miles from his home in New Mexico to Chicago, where he was picked up as a stray.

Charles’ life was spared when staff at Chicago Animal Care and Control found a microchip between his shoulders and used it to contact his owner, Robin Alex of Albuquerque.

Alex was overjoyed to hear that Charles had been found, but said she could not afford a round-trip flight to Chicago to rescue her straying pet. She feared he might be euthanized.

But another Albuquerque resident, Lucien Sims, came to the rescue. Sims was on his way to Chicago on Thursday for a wedding, and he said he would go to the shelter, pick up Charles and bring him back to New Mexico.