RSPCA: A tail of two cities

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 12:00 AM

A cat who strayed more than 200 miles from home has been reunited with her owner thanks to a microchip.

When an elderly black and white cat called Kitty went missing from her home in Preston, Lancashire five months ago, her owners feared the worst.

Despite dedicated efforts to track down their beloved pet, Kitty was not found.

However, luck was on Kitty's side and when a member of the public found a stray cat in Brimsdown, Middlesex they took her to the RSPCA Enfield and District branch.

After scanning for a microchip, they tracked down her owner who was overjoyed to find out that long lost Kitty was alive and well.

After nearly five months apart, Kitty and owner Pat Gibson were reunited last Friday and the pair have been welcoming visitors ever since.

Mrs Gibson said: "It really is remarkable, it's like having her back from the dead. I was terribly upset when she disappeared as I just didn't know what had happened to her - we still don't.

"I never expected her to have travelled so far away, it's amazing. But she has settled in back at home already - she immediately remembered which cupboard I keep her food in.

"I would recommend microchipping to all pet owners."

Mrs Gibson adopted Kitty from the RSPCA after she had been tied in a sack and dumped in a car park.

Enfield branch secretary Margaret Marden said: "This story has a very happy ending and it is proof indeed of the importance of microchipping your pet."

The RSPCA encourages owners to have their pets microchipped as it believes it is the most reliable way of finding your pet if it is lost or stolen.

The quick and painless procedure places a small chip, the size of a grain of rice, under the animal's skin. The owner's details and a special code are stored on the chip and can be revealed by a special scanner carried by RSPCA inspectors and routinely used in the charity's branches.

Around half a million animals have been microchipped in the last five years alone.

For more information on microchipping log onto www.rspca.org.uk

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Notes to editors

Pictures and interviews are available. Please contact the press office on 0300 123 0244/0288 or email press@rspca.org.uk

RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

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