A three-year old cat had to be rescued after seeking refuge in a neighbour’s house from loud noises from a building site.
Gizmo failed to return home one night and unbeknownst to his owner, after being spooked by loud noises coming from a building site on the housing estate where he lived, he ran into the nearest safe space he could find.
The ginger-tom found the sudden banging and drilling from the building site distressing, and instead of going home, ran into a neighbour’s house and snuck underneath an open bath panel. 
The neighbour was also having home improvement works done, but thankfully she heard strange meowing and scratching sounds coming from the bathroom and contacted animal charity, Mayhew to help get Gizmo out.
Mayhew Animal Rescue Officers, Georgina and Libby went to rescue Gizmo from his ill-chosen sanctuary between the bath and sink.
Gizmo had been so keen to get away from the strange noises that he’s retreated even further back between the various pipes and panels, and despite Georgina and Libby’s efforts they were unable to reach him.
Eventually they managed to coax Gizmo to come out and took him back to Mayhew for a health assessment. The owner of the house where he was found did not recognise him, and unfortunately, he was not microchipped.
Mayhew’s animal welfare officers returned to the estate that Gizmo came from to put posters up, hoping that his owner would spot them and come forward.
Luckily, although the owner had not seen the posters herself, another one of her neighbours had and told her about them. Happily, Gizmo’s owner then got in touch with Mayhew to confirm he was hers – after which a very relieved and heartfelt reunion took place.
A spokesperson for Mayhew said: “Whilst Gizmo was at Mayhew, we had him microchipped and registered, to make it easier to find his way how if and when he goes on any future Great Escapes. It was a stroke of luck that our posters reached his owner this time, and neither she, nor he, would want to take that risk again.
“Whilst it is compulsory for all dogs in England and Wales to be microchipped, no such legal requirement is currently in place for cats. However, we believe that microchipping your cat is also vital, as it is the safest method of ensuring that lost animals can be reunited with worried owners.
“Thousands of cats and dogs are lost in the UK every year, and without official identification, the chances of them finding their way back home are extremely low. Microchipping is cheap, harmless and takes seconds, and your confidential data is kept secure by registered organisations such as vets and rescue centres.”
