An RSPCA pop-up neutering clinic in Sheffield were delighted to reunite a missing cat with her worried owner.
The RSPCA’s Cat Smart scheme held their event at Crystal Peaks shopping centre and aimed to neuter owned cats for free to help tackle the cat over population crisis in the city.
However, they had an unexpected arrival when a member of the public brought a stray cat they had been feeding to the shopping centre. Vets were able to scan the black cat, Bella, for a microchip and reunite her with her owner within an hour and a half.
Carrie Stones, the RSPCA’s Cat Population Control Manager, said: “The best part of the day had to be reuniting the lovely Bella with her owner. A gentleman spotted our event and thought we may be able to help. He had been feeding the cat for a few weeks after she turned up at their house looking a little worse for wear. He brought her to the shopping centre and our vets were able to scan her for a chip, get the details and contact her owner, Julie, who then jumped in the car and immediately dashed over to collect the much- loved Bella.
“Everyone was thrilled to see such a happy ending unfold at our event and it really does just show how important microchipping your cat is.”
Julie Dyett, Bella’s owner who lives in Sheffield, said: “She had gone missing on July 22, the day after I came back from holiday. We looked everywhere and just when we had given up hope, the call came right out of the blue from Cat Smart. She has recently oved in with me, as she used to live with my daughter. Where she was found was about half way back to her old house so I think she had got confused and was trying to make her way home.”
RSPCA figures show that nine out of ten cats brought into the charity’s national centres last year were not microchipped.
During the pop-up neutering clinic, which was held on 18 August and raised money for the RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre, 23 cats were neutered for free and 10 were microchipped.
Springfield Vets carried out the procedures and vets and Cat Smart were on hand to provide advice and information on the importance of microchipping and general cat care.
Carrie added: “For some owners, the barrier to neutering is their fear of the procedure itself and worrying about putting their cats through the operation. We do our best to allay those fears, make sure he cat is relaxed and the owner is updated at all stages throughout the events. I would like to thank all the volunteers who dedicate their time to events like this and work so hard in the lead up and throughout the week.”
If you would like more information about the RSPCA scheme, you can visit www.facebook.com/CatSmartSheffield
