Move over Ed, Neville the wanderer's back in town

28.08.2004 - Hawkes Bay Today

Neville the cat who stowed away in his family's boat and jumped ship between
Havelock North and Taupo three months ago has decided to come home.

Neville made a surprise re-appearance at the Millen family's home on
Wednesday. The five-year-old burmese was sitting under the clothesline,
apparently none the worse for his adventures - whatever they may have been -
when his family arrived home from school.

"He was waiting for us just like it was any other day," Dorothea Millen said
yesterday. "The children were screaming with excitement."

Since then, Neville has happily slotted back into his old family life and
submitted to the attentions of his adoring children, Raphael, nine, Ashton,
eight and Patrick, five.

The Millens are thrilled to have wandering Neville back, but his return has
not been without complications. After his untimely disappearance, the family
decided to fill the gap in their lives with two more burmese seal cats, one
of them nearly identical to Neville. And they named it ... Neville.

So what to do when they unexpectedly found themselves with two Nevilles? New
Neville was hastily re-named. He's now Edward, brother of Humphrey.

Old Neville is an inveterate stowaway. He has made frequent trips to the
homes of the Millens' friends after sneaking into their vehicles, and has
had countless unintended trips to libraries and shops. He once just missed
out on a trip to Waikaremoana.

His disappearance in May came after the family set out for Taupo, towing
their boat, and stopped at Bay View for fuel. "We have no idea where he's
been ... We have to make up our own adventures for him," Mrs Millen said.

--
Burmese are like potato chips, you can't just have one.