By Isle of Wight Observer
A ginger cat missing for more than two years has been reunited with his owner, thanks to the efforts of Friends of the Animals and the power of microchipping.
Volunteers at the charity’s Riverway base spotted a cat roaming the industrial estate, where there is no nearby housing. Trustee Ted set up a humane trap over several nights. When it finally caught a cat, it turned out not to be the one they had been trying to rescue, but a thin and dishevelled ginger tom.
The cat was scanned for a microchip which revealed his identity: George, affectionately known as Ginge, from Cowes, had been missing for two years and two months.
His owner, Doreen, was stunned to receive a call. She met Ted at The People’s Vet, where George was checked over and found to be in good health. That evening, George settled back at home, spending hours curled up on her lap.
Doreen said: “If he hadn’t been chipped I would never have got him back.” She added that she had never truly got over his disappearance and was overwhelmed with joy at his return.
A spokeswoman for Friends of the Animals said the story is proof of the importance of microchipping. The charity is now continuing efforts to catch the original cat spotted at Riverway.
Mal Butler