The idea of your pet going missing is most owners’ worst nightmare.
Outdoor cats in particular are most at risk of going missing due to their tendency to wander far, encounter busy roads and roam around places far from home. If your beloved cat went missing, how long would you look for before giving up? One month? Two?
Whatever your answer, one thing is for certain – after twelve years, you probably would have given up on your search for your missing cat. So when a family from Rochdale received a letter letting them know that their fur baby had been discovered safe and well, over twelve years after their cat had vanished, they were totally speechless. Although the family decided that it was for the best to not adopt their kitty back, she is in safe hands at a local rescue center who hopes she will be adopted soon.
Georgie the cat spent October half-term on vacation with her owners at the Rowardennen campsite on the shores of Loch Lomond, back in 2008. The tortoiseshell-and-white cat enjoyed exploring around the campsite – but perhaps a little too much. On the day the family was due to return home, the three-year-old feline was nowhere to be seen.
The devastated family searched everywhere for Georgie, but eventually, they were forced to admit defeat and begin the long drive back home without their beloved pet.
Meanwhile, it turned out Georgie hadn’t strayed far from the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park site at all. Despite now being a stray, Georgie led a pretty comfortable life. The smart cat remained close to the campsite, where she was fed and cared for by staff and those on vacation.
The years flew by, and the family in Rochdale eventually moved on with their lives. They adopted another cat and mourned the loss of Georgie, assuming that they would never see her again. Twelve years went by, and it wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic that staff at the campsite made a discovery. A concerned worker arranged for Georgie to be scanned for a microchip, and it was then that they discovered that this independent cat actually had a family!
But twelve years was a long time for Georgie to be apart from her family, and there was a possibility that the details in the chip were no longer correct.
After discovering that the phone number in the chip was no longer active, an email and letter were sent in hope of reuniting the cat with its owners. It was then that Georgie’s owners finally discovered that their cat was still alive and well.
Amy Davies, the cat’s owner, told Manchester Evening News: “We were heartbroken when Georgie didn’t come back on our last day at Loch Lomond. It was such a lovely surprise to hear that she was not only well but had seemingly been having a great time meeting campers.”
But despite their joy of discovering that Georgie was doing okay, the family decided that it would be best for their old cat to remain in the shelter where she can hopefully find a new home.
“My instinct was to jump in the car and collect Georgie straight away but we have another nine-year-old cat now,” Amy explained. When I spoke to the center I knew our life now just wouldn’t suit Georgie as she doesn’t like other pets and needs space to come and go. It’s really sad that after all this time we won’t be reunited but I have to do what’s best for Georgie.”
Lynsey Anderson, senior cat care assistant at Cats Protection’s Glasgow adoption centre, where Georgie now lives, said:
“I could hear how much she wanted to come and see her but her concerns for Georgie’s happiness really shone through. We’re looking for a quiet home for Georgie where she can be the only cat, enjoy her space and have plenty of garden to explore. She’s very loving and enjoys human company so will make a brilliant companion.”
We hope that Georgie finds her furever home very soon. She sounds like a lovely cat who’s ready to settle down after a life of adventure!
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