Story By: Lisa-Maria Goertz, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash

A missing cat has been found starving and sick on a street more than a hundred kilometres away after she ran away from home 15 years ago – but her old owners can no longer take her back as they already have four other cats.

Cat Libby was found 105 kilometres (65 miles) from her original home in the town of Kreileroord in the Dutch province of North Holland.

According to national newspaper AD, her family received a very unexpected phone call from authorities to tell them their cat had been found, 15 years after she ran away.

Libby was found by employees of the animal ambulance in an industrial state in the city of Amersfoort, where locals say she was often fed by people who worked there and had spent years wandering the area.

Due to her matted coat and scraggly state, the ambulance cat was called in to attend to the cat, according to AD, who then saw she had a chip and immediately called the owners.

Spokesperson Carmen Silos said: “They were very happy and relieved. They said Libby had been missing for 15 years and that the family recently said goodbye to Libby’s original buddy.”

The owners already have four cats and a dog at their home, therefore the Animal protection services reportedly decided to find a new quieter home for Libby.

Silos said: “Libby is now sixteen years old and at that age cats don’t want to be so busy anymore. We are now going to find a nice new place where she can enjoy her old age in peace. “

According to Silos, it is very rare that a cat can be found after so much time and urges all owners to microchip their animal.

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