Tears of happiness as Clanfield family reunited with beloved cat six years after she mysteriously disappeared

Clanfield mum Kelli Young picked up 11-year-old Millie who was found safe and well near her former home in Denmead.

The family had all but given up hope of ever seeing Millie again before they were left overjoyed when they were incredibly reunited with her once again.

The pet was found thanks to the Cats Protection’s Haslemere Adoption Centre and their efforts to track the cat's microchip.

Carers at the charity scanned Millie for a microchip after she was reported as abandoned and arrived in care at the Haslemere Adoption Centre in Surrey.

Their initial relief at finding a chip with contact details took a dip when they realised the address in Gosport was out of date and Millie’s owners no longer lived there – in fact, they had moved twice since then.

All that could be done now was to send a letter to the address and hope the new occupant forwarded details.

Anna Green, deputy manager at Cats Protection’s Haslemere Adoption Centre, said: ‘Amazingly, the letter found its way to Millie’s owners and we were contacted a month later. We had to keep her in care all that time, just in case, but it meant that eventually we were able to set up a successful reunion.’

Kelli drove to collect Millie from the adoption centre. Her children Maisy, Lee and Jamie were overwhelmed to have their family cat back after so long.

Kelli said: ‘We are so happy as a family to have Millie back home after six years. Millie and my son were really close and, even though he is 20 now, he cried when he saw Millie for the first time. She knew who he was straight away.

‘I want to say a massive thanks to you all for what you have done for Millie. From the bottom of all our hearts, thank you.’

Anna added: ‘As a charity that reunites thousands of cats with their owners every year across the UK, we were delighted that we were able to help reunite Millie with her owner. Their story shows the benefits of microchipping.

‘It wouldn’t have been such a happy ending if the letter hadn’t been passed on by the new homeowners. This really highlights the importance of keeping your contact details up to date, no matter how long your cat has been missing.’

Microchips contain a unique identification number and are inserted under the cat’s skin between his shoulder blades. The number is linked to a database containing details of the pet, as well as the owner’s contact details. When a scanner detects the microchip, a simple phone call can find out the owner’s details and the pet can then be quickly returned home.

A microchip ensures cats can be reunited with their owner should they go missing and lost cats are not mistaken as strays and taken in by rehoming charities. It also means owners can be notified if their cat has been injured or killed in a road accident.

Cats Protection encourages local councils to collect, scan and notify owners in such cases.

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Madison Rogers, acting head of advocacy and government relations at Cats Protection, said: ‘It is vital that details are kept up to date on microchips, so owners can be contacted if their cat goes missing.

‘Moving house is a busy time but it is really important owners update their details, ensuring that phone numbers and emails are still valid.’

To learn more about microchipping visit: www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/neutering-and-vaccinations/microchipping-your-cat

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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