Belfast cat returns home after going missing for 12 years
A cat called Sherlock cracked his own missing case by returning home 12 YEARS after vanishing into thin air.
The ginger puss, who shares the same name as the legendary fictional detective, went missing in the winter of 2013 when he sauntered out one day and never came home.
Owner Erin McCormick, who was only 11 at the time, was devastated when the then three-year-old moggy scarpered.
Erin was convinced she caught glimpses of her furry friend over the years near their home, but eventually accepted he had likely moved on with another family.
So, in a twist worthy of Arthur Conan Doyle himself, the 23-year-old was flabbergasted when the family received a call from a vet on September 29th saying that Sherlock, now 15, had been found.
The vets tracked the family down using Sherlock's microchip and had no idea the mischievous kitty had been on the run for more than a decade.
Stunned finance worker Erin, who'd only had Sherlock a year before his vanishing act, gladly welcomed him home again.
Thrilled to have him home again after these years, Erin admits she's 'scared' to let him out in case he disappears again.
Erin, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, said: "We were like, 'what the hell?' because we had him for a year as a kitten and then he left after a year but we'd seen him about the area.
"We'd always joke with our family being like, 'oh he's just moved off to a different family'.
"At one stage I thought I saw him in another back garden so I got my dad to go to that house and ask them if they've seen our cat but the guy at the door said 'no'.
"I think at one stage we were walking home from school and we were like, 'that's definitely him' but we couldn't get him.
"He scurried off so we just presumed he had just moved on to another family, like he was with someone else.
"We were all really shocked at the start because we only had him for a year.
"It was the fact we kept seeing him, it was like, 'what the heck? He's around and he's not with us'.
"We were gutted at the time. We were dead upset because he was just really close to home but not at home, but there was no way to get him back.
"We didn't know whether he went astray or was just happy to be away so it was a bit confusing at the time."
In surprisingly good health, Erin said Sherlock seems much more chilled out compared to when she saw him last as a youngster.
Erin said: "We're scared to let him outside in case he leaves again but we're just happy that he's back again.
"He's in really good health and condition. We were surprised when he came back, he doesn't look like he's as old as he is.
"We presumed he must have moved from a couple different houses over the years. It's so crazy, it's definitely a bit of a miracle.
"They [the vets] rang my dad and they were like, 'we have Sherlock' and my dad did think it was a joke because he was like, 'what do you mean? I haven't heard of this cat for like 10 plus years'.
"The vets obviously had no idea he was away that long because they were so casual about it saying they had this cat.
"It's the weirdest feeling because you have this cat at the start of its life and then now it's getting older. It's such a strange feeling.
"You're obviously sad that you've missed out on loads of time with him.
"When we got him he was quite lively because he was younger but now he's so chill. All of us are like, 'what's going on?' He's a sleepy cat now.
"I don't know if he recognised us but you know when cats stroke up against your leg? He was doing that and stuff so I don't know, I suppose maybe a little."