Missing cat returns home after disappearing nearly two years ago

A delighted Wigan pet owner has hailed a “miracle” after being reunited with her cat when the feline had been missing for almost two years.
By Andrew Nowell
Published 1st Jul 2019, 10:46 BST
Holly was missing fot two yearsHolly was missing fot two years
Holly was missing fot two years

Ruth Lawrence, from Kitt Green, was stunned to receive a phone call from Cats Protection saying 10-year-old black puss Holly had turned up 20 months after she vanished.

The missing moggy was reported as a stray to volunteers at the charity’s Atherton and Wigan branch having taken shelter in a garden shed in Orrell.

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After scanning her for a microchip Holly and Ruth were reunited for the first time since October 2017.

Ruth with beloved cat HollyRuth with beloved cat Holly
Ruth with beloved cat Holly

Ruth, 47, said: “I was absolutely gobsmacked when I heard she had been found. I always hoped she would come back but I didn’t expect to hear from anybody. It’s a miracle.

“There had been no sightings of her and it’s very unusual for a lost cat to be found after so long.

“When I moved into this house I kept Holly in at first. When she started going out it was absolutely fine but one day she didn’t come back.

“She obviously got disoriented and lost her way.

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“I put up posters, checked in with animal charities and local vets but there was no trace. She was such a much-loved cat and I missed her terribly.

“She’s got a couple of scratches and looks a bit worn-down and tatty but she’s in good health.”

Holly is now settling back into life at Ruth’s Prescott Lane house with the four other cats which call it home.

Remarkably Holly was found within a five-mile radius of where she had disappeared, with a man noticing her living rough and contacting the animal welfare organisation.

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Find out about adoption at www.cats.org.uk/athertonwigan/adopt-a-cat

Holly was reunited with Ruth during National Microchipping Month and Cats Protection says the story perfectly illustrates why owners should get their pets chipped.

Microchips ensures lost cats are not thought to be strays and taken in by rehoming charities and notifies owners if their felines are injured or killed in road accidents.

Jacqui Cuff from Cats Protection said: “It’s always lovely to hear of stories where cats have been reunited with their owners, but most of these happy endings are only possible if a cat has been microchipped.”

Neutering and microchipping in Wigan costs £11. Ring 07504 100371 or 07931 999115.

Related topics:WiganOrrell