A missing cat has astounded his owners after returning to his Buckinghamshire home after a whopping eight years. The cat, named Bigga, due to his rather ample size, was living with his owner, Lorna Fothergill for just two years before he did a disappearing act.

When Bigga went missing his concerned owner searched throughout the neighbourhood but after six months she concluded that her pet must have been catnapped, as there was a spate of the crimes at the time.

Incredibly eight years later Lorna received a call from the RSPCA telling her that they had found Bigga.

RSPCA Inspector Davidson, explained to the BBC the challenges of finding Bigga's owner, he said: "Searching for Bigga's owner took some real detective work, but it just shows the immense value of having your animals microchipped. It is a fantastic outcome and Bigga is a great cat with a lovely personality and temperament, we are so pleased he has found his way home."

It is thought that Bigga must have been living as a feral cat. His owner, Lorna said: "Originally he wasn't our cat, he just appeared one day, and he showed up and refused to leave. We put posters up, we informed local vets and the RSPCA, people came to see him but no-one left with him. He became part of the family. We had four other cats at the time."

Once Lorna had decided that she was going to keep the cat she had him insured and microchipped, without this poor old Bigga may never have been found, especially considering that Lorna had moved twice since Bigga first went missing.

Since his return, neither Bigga's owner, nor the RSPCA can figure out what he has been doing since he went missing. But from Bigga's appearance it is presumed that he went back to his old ways and lived as a stray. Currently he is being treated for the feline strain of AIDS which should help his condition so that he can enjoy a quiet life back at home.

 

 

It was an unusual find for the workers at the recycling centre in Scotland when one of the lorries turned up that had just been collecting in the Kirknewton area emptied it's load. A stunned tom cat fell out among the mattresses and fridges covered in dirt and dust and luckily unharmed.

The startled feline was identified as Alfie and was soon reunited with his worried owners. They said he didn't normally leave the house so were shocked to find him missing and are relieved to have him home again.

Alfie's owners Mr and Mrs Cranston had left a Mattress out that morning to be collected by the council and can only assume that Alfie jumped into the truck for a ride. After they were unable to find Alfie they had feared the worst. It wasn't until Mr Cranston spotted a photo of Alfie in the local paper that they started to piece together what had happened.

The SPCA, the Scottish animal charity who rescued Alfie, said: "It's so rewarding to be able to reunite Alfie with his owners, particularly after he's had such a frightening ordeal."

Alfie was lucky to be reunited with his family - showing, once again, the importance of having your pets microchipped, so if they do go missing the chances of having a happy ending are increased. This simple procedure takes minutes yet will mean that your contact details are stored in a database ensuring that you and your pet will be reunited, once they are found.

 

 

Pet owners have been warned to remain on their guard after the Yorkshire Evening Post has reported several air gun attacks on cats in Leeds.

Saskia Klauck, a vet who is a partner at Companion Care veterinary surgery in Pudsey, says she has treated four cats recently for gun shot wounds, and although none have so far died from their injuries, Saskia believes it is only a matter of time before a cat is seriously injured or even killed.

She said: "It started over the Easter holidays and I'm concerned because there is another school holiday coming up."

"Pet owners should be alert to the fact that someone is taking pot shots at their cats. There have even been reports of joggers being fired at.”
"It's a matter of getting the pellets out, but if they are in a very hard to reach area or they hit a vital organ that's when things get really serious and there can be complications.

"In the past I have had to amputate the legs of cats who have been shot by air rifles."

"We just want to make people aware."

The incidents have happened in a concentrated area, close to the railway line, particularly close to Duckett's Crossing.

In extreme circumstances operations to remove air gun pellets can take over four hours, causing considerable and understandable distress to the animal concerned - and for those owners who haven't taken out pet insurance, the procedure can cost over £1500.

 

 

A heartbroken woman has been left devastated after her 12-month old black and white tom cat, Boo was left with horrific injuries by a deadly trap.

27-year-old, Danielle, found him covered in blood in a neighbour's garden, and his injuries were so severe a vet told her they had to put her beloved cat to sleep.

Danielle said: "Boo never stayed out for long so when he didn't come home I was worried so went looking for him.

"I found Boo in a friend's garden nearby, he was absolutely covered in blood.

"One of his front legs was missing and the other was completely crushed - I thought he had been mauled by a dog or a fox and was trying to make his way home.

"But the vet said she had only ever seen such injuries once before and that they had been caused after a cat had been caught in a trap and pulled its own legs off to escape."

Understandably, Danielle is fearful that this will happen to other pets in the area, and has put out a stark warning to owners to be on their guard.

"I only hope that this never happens to another cat," she said.

"If Boo hadn't pulled his legs off he would have died in the trap and probably thrown into a dustbin by whichever callous person put it down.

"I hope this story alerts other people and saves them from having to endure what I felt when I found Boo in such a state and in such pain."

Danielle is offering a reward for information to help identify those responsible. Contact her at daniellebentley366@hotmail.com