Cat travels 24 miles from Dorset to Wiltshire birthplace

A two-year-old cat that was missing from its home turned up 24 miles (38km) away in the village where it was born.

Ginger tom, Cupid, was found in Odstock, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, after vanishing from Bournemouth just after Christmas.

Amy Osborne, who found the puss, said: "He lived two doors up from me, two years ago - I had no idea this was the same kitten."

Owner, India Redman, said she was "speechless".

"He must be smarter than he looks - it's nuts how he found his way back," Ms Redman added.

"It's great to have him back home."

Ms Osborne was able to reunite Cupid with its family after posting details of the cat's discovery on social media.

"India was blown away that it was him," she added.

"Out of all the places he could have escaped or got lost to, how bizarre that he would end up back where he was originally born - it's got to be a homing instinct."

The charity Cats Protection said the "extraordinary journey" was unusual for cats.

Behaviour manager Nicky Trevorrow said: "It's relatively common for cats to return home across a distance of a mile or two but Cupid's journey is quite remarkable.

"Unlike other animals who can use prominent landmarks or magnetic fields to navigate across vast distances to return to their birthplace, cats do not have an innate homing instinct."