AN Albuquerque, New Mexico, cat owner can sleep easier now that the kitten that went missing last month will be home for the holidays, despite a mysterious 3,680-km side trip to Maine in the northeast United States.

    Patsy Murphy, who runs an animal refuge center in Maine, said the kitten, named Spice, was brought to her shelter Nov. 11 by a man who found the feline in a duffel bag while unloading furniture at a local Catholic charity.

    Murphy said Maine resident Bob Watterson brought the kitten home Nov. 5, and cared for it for six days before he turned it over to the animal refuge, which found a microchip in the cat that could identify it.

    Murphy was shocked when the cat was traced back to New Mexico, and it remained unknown exactly how the cat made its way to Maine.

    She said the cat would be sent home after it is treated for a respiratory infection.

    “I’m thankful the kitten is going home and how so many people pulled together to make it happen,” she said. (SD-Agencies)