A purrfect reunion: Cat returns to Berlin owner 18 years later

After 18 years away from home, a cat has been returned to its owner in the German capital Berlin.

The now venerable black cat, named Kimba, was noticed "miaowing miserably" in the Marienfelde area of the city on Friday, police reported.

A scan of Kimba's microchip implant revealed that he belonged to a local resident, who confirmed that his pet ran away 18 years previously soon after they moved to the capital from Munich.

On the positive side, Kimba is regaining his appetite and re-learning the meaning of the word "housetraining," the police said in a Wednesday Facebook post.

Kimba's relationship with the owner's other cat, however, was apparently "only in the initial stages."

Although cats can live up to 25 years old if well cared for, 14 to 18 years old is a more normal feline life span.