Leo has been living rough on a local golf course for the past eight years. He was a good hunter and his catches had been supplemented with tinned food by the golf club staff. They became concerned that he was becoming too old to live outside all the time, so one of the ladies who worked there took him home. The staff had a whip round to get him checked out by the vet but he was rather troublesome to get into the carrying basket. One of our volunteers went to her house to help her, taking the MicroChip scanner, 'just in case'.
He was chipped, the house registered was fairly near the golf club, but to everyone's astonishment, when we got the owner on her mobile she told us that he had been missing for EIGHT YEARS!. He had disappeared when they went on holiday in 2000, leaving someone to come in and feed him. They had searched extensively at the time, but the only information they had was a possible sighting at a factory between their house and the golf course the golf course is on the other side of the river and they were unable to find him.
In the time since they lost him they had moved to Scotland, so they agreed the lady from the golf course should keep him.Despite his years living rough, he has settled well in his new home and is getting on with the lady's young cat.
The above letter was sent to the UK PETtrac Database by Bury's Stray Cat Fund and highlights the issue of ensuring your contact details are kept up-to-date for the MicroChip. If you need to update your details visit the PETtrac website or call us on 0800 652 8 977.