A cat who went missing from her family home five years ago has now been reunited with her owner thanks to RSPCA staff in Nantwich.
Lucy, a black and white short haired cat, went missing from her home in Crewe in 2014.
She had been adopted along with her sister, Lottie, from the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange cattery, in Nantwich, by Rachel Beecroft in 2012.
The pair lived at Rachel’s previous address in Carlisle Street, Crewe, with her partner, Michael Louth, and were kept as indoor cats.
But one day when the front door opened Lucy ran out and went missing.
Rachel, 48, said: “She just bolted and we couldn’t find her anywhere.
“She was a very timid cat anyway so we think she was frightened to come to us when we were calling her.
“We had flyers made which we put up in the area appealing for help and also posters and we put her details on the Lost and Found pets website but there was no trace.
“In June 2017 I had to move and went to live in Davenport Avenue but by then in my heart of hearts I never thought Lucy would return – I thought she had probably been run over by a car or something.”
But then out of the blue, Rachel received a phone call from the RSPCA last week to say Lucy had been found.
“I went straight to collect her and she knew instantly who I was – we shared lots of cuddles and love!” added Rachel.
A member of the public found Lucy close to Rachel’s previous home where she went missing, and took her to the RSPCA as they thought she was a stray.
Staff found Rachel’s details from Lucy’s microchip and then were able to reunite the pair.
Rachel added: “She seems well-looked after so I believe someone has taken her into their home.
“But I am so glad she is back where she belongs with her sister and our border collie dog called Harry.”
Lee Stewart, centre manager at Stapeley Grange, said: “We have had cats come through our doors who have been reunited with their owners after they
have been missing a few months – but the fact Lucy has been missing for five years came as quite a surprise.
“I am just so glad Lucy has found her home as she has clearly been missed and it is great she has been reunited with her sister too.
“It was great when Rachel walked through the door and her and Lucy were cuddling – they had both clearly missed each other.
“This really does highlight why microchipping your pet is so important and it is vitally important to tell the chip company yourself if any contact details change.
“If the contact details are out of date the chip is completely useless.
“We see many cases where we would love to reunite microchipped cats with their owner but can’t because the details have not been updated.
“It is heartbreaking to lose a pet but if they’re microchipped then there is much more of a chance that they will be found and make their way back home to you.”
It is a legal requirement to have dogs microchipped but it is not against the law to leave other pets, such as cats and rabbits, without a chip.
Microchipping involves a tiny microchip inserted under the animal’s skin and this then gives the pet their own unique code.
The microchip can be scanned and matched to the owner’s contact details which are kept on a database.
For more information about microchipping, visit the RSPCA www.rspca.org.uk/microchipping
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