Cat ends up in Yukon legislative building, very far from home

Tyson the cat is on his way home after an extended stay in Teslin and a short visit to Yukon's legislative building.

The cat's owners live in New Mexico and were very surprised to learn he's alive.

Stacey Hassard represents the riding of Pelly-Nisutlin which includes Teslin.

A few weeks ago Tyson the cat was trapped by a community member. The cat had been living outdoors. People in Teslin took him in and he ended up living at the hamlet office. 

"He was pretty skin and bones, so they nursed him back to health,' Hassard said. 

The cat was taken to a vet who found an implanted microchip. That revealed the owners and a way to contact them. 

It turns out they live very far away. 

"The story is that they're U.S. Military and they were travelling from Fairbanks to their new posting in New Mexico. They stopped overnight in Teslin about the first of July and the cat got away. He'd been living on his own for about six months, through the winter," Hassard said.

The MLA and Yukon opposition leader makes the two-hour drive into Whitehorse often. He offered to bring the cat into town when arrangements were made with the owners. 

"I am putting him on the Air North plane this afternoon and the owners are going to fly from New Mexico to Vancouver and pick him up," Hassard said. 

The cat spent the afternoon in the office of Yukon's official opposition.