A woman experienced an astonishing reunion when her beloved cat, missing for an entire decade, finally returned home, leaving her determined to uncover the secrets of his lengthy disappearance.
The Mysterious Disappearance of Ned
Jess adopted her cat, Ned, back in 2014, and he quickly developed a habit of exploring the neighbourhood to mark his territory. Even after Jess moved to a new house, Ned's attachment to his old stomping grounds was so strong that he would frequently wander back, forcing Jess to retrieve him repeatedly.
Over time, the buyers of Jess's former residence began to recognise Ned and started caring for him as well, effectively giving the adventurous feline two homes. However, one fateful day, Ned embarked on his usual patrol and never came back, prompting an extensive search by both households.
A Decade-Long Wait Ends
Despite their best efforts, Jess and the other family were unable to locate Ned, leading Jess to eventually give up hope and adopt another cat years later. Then, after ten long years, she received an unexpected phone call from a veterinarian inquiring if she owned a cat named Ned, who was now twelve years old.
It was revealed that Ned had been living with an elderly woman for the past three years. As she prepared to move into a residential care home, she wanted to ensure Ned had a safe place to live, explaining that he had simply appeared one day, with no knowledge of his whereabouts during the previous seven years.
The Crucial Role of Microchipping
On TikTok, Jess shared her story, stating, "They scanned his microchip, and my details came up. The crazy thing is he wasn't far from where my previous house was and the one I moved out of originally. I’m just glad I didn’t change my number on the microchip!"
Immediately, Jess drove to collect her long-lost pet. She described the reunion, saying, "He was nervous when I collected him, but he is beginning to settle and feel comfortable. I have another cat, Bluey, so Ned is in the spare room adjusting to life back in a house before meeting Bluey."
A week later, Jess reported that Ned was settling in well, becoming friendly again and enjoying a quieter life with fewer extravagant adventures.
Legal Requirements and Benefits of Microchipping
Across England, Wales, and Scotland, all dogs must be microchipped by law, while in England, cats are also required to have microchips. Failure to microchip pets can result in substantial fines of up to £500.
In Northern Ireland, microchipping is essential when applying for a dog licence, which is compulsory for owning most dogs. The procedure, typically performed by a vet or veterinary nurse, costs between £15 and £25.
Animal welfare charity Blue Cross explains that microchips are tiny computer chips, roughly the size of a grain of rice. Each chip contains a unique code linked to the pet's information stored on an approved database. If a pet goes missing, the chip can be scanned to access the owner's contact details, proving invaluable in reunions like Jess and Ned's.
