A cat that went missing for eight months was found more than 80 miles away thanks to the help of the RSPCA.
Frankie, aged three, went missing in January on his first venture outside his home in White Moss, Blackley, Manchester. Despite frantic searches, his owners couldn’t find him and feared the worst during the harsh winter and were devastated.
But this week they had a telephone call out of the blue from the RSPCA to say that their beloved pet was very much alive and had turned up 80 miles away in Burton-on-Trent.
The Hillfield branch of the RSPCA had the cat taken to them by three teenage boys who found the stray animal in nearby Branston.
Susie O’Neill, based at the rehoming centre, said: “The youngster had seen the cat hanging around near where they live for a few days, but they were not sure if he belonged to someone. They said he seemed very shy but after a few days went towards them for a stroke and they realised he was probably a bit underweight so took him to a local vet’s. The vet realised he was microchipped but couldn’t identify it, so they brought he cat here and we were able to trace the owners.”
The RSPCA called the owners straight away who arrived within hours to pick up their feline companion. It is believed that Frankie must have got in a van or a lorry to make it all the way down to Burton.
The cat was in god condition and thank to the fact that he was microchipped, he was quickly reunited with his owners.
Frankie’s owner Keighley, said: “We couldn’t believe it when we got the call, it was the best news ever. We jumped straight in the car to go and collect him. It is like Frankie has never been away now – he used to love getting in bed and stretching out and the first night he was home and is exactly what he did.
“We were amazed to have got him back and are glad we had him microchipped as it helped the RSPCA trace us. We are just grateful to the boys that found him and the RSPCA – and we are pretty sure Frankie is grateful too especially as he is back to the land of luxury.”
