He disappeared while a friend was caring for him while his owner was out of town volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.

"I was crushed," owner Robin Alex told a reporter. "I was so upset because I was in New Orleans, so there was nothing I could do."

That was eight months ago. Then early last week, Charles was rounded up with some strays wandering Chicago’s southside by city animal control. Workers discovered he was microchipped.

The city notified Alex that their cat was alive but said she needed to pick him or else he was a goner.

As luck would have it, a good Samaritan who was traveling to Chicago for a wedding agreed to pick him up and bring him home. Lucien Sims of Albquerque even found a company to donate a cat carrier and persuaded American Airlines to waive the cat's travel fee. And now the drama has a happy ending when Charles is reunited Sunday night with Alex.

We have advice: Next time you go out of town, ask Sims to do the cat-sit. He seems like a swell guy.