Mozart the cat reunited with owner after 17 years during French wildfires

Mozart, an 18‑year‑old tomcat that vanished in 2009, was located on 25 July in the coastal town of Lège‑Cap‑Ferret, Gironde, France. Volunteers from the association Mérignac Chats Errants, who were conducting animal‑rescue operations after the devastating wildfires in southwestern France, identified the cat via its microchip and traced the owner, Elisabeth‑Sophie Stevens, who now lives near Dijon. Stevens, who had not seen Mozart for nearly 17 years, will be reunited with the cat on 23 August. The animal is reported to be in good health, and the reunion has been described as a “spectacular” and emotional outcome of the wildfire relief efforts.