Family reunited with cat after three years
A Guernsey family have been reunited with their cat three years after it went missing.
Her owners described it as a miracle that Bibby, the black cat, had survived so long on her own.
‘She’s a timid little soul, so wouldn’t approach you if she was scared,’ said owner Grace Kelly.
‘It was heart-breaking thinking of her cold, hungry and terrified, but we were unwavering in our efforts to reunite with her.’
A concerned islander at Perelle reported seeing a mystery black cat on a wildlife camera, eating hedgehog food and leftover bird seed. She contacted Sue Vidamour, who previously ran Guernsey Animal Aid, who was able to trap Bibby and then track down her amazed owners via the cat’s microchip.
The Kelly family were moving from a house in Perelle to the Vale in January 2022 when Bibby disappeared after being spooked as they were packing up the house.
‘We remember vividly there was a terrible storm the night we moved, but figured she was sheltering close by and would return in the next few days,’ said Grace Kelly, who owns three cats between her and her mum Sarah.
As well as Bibby there is Button and Toulouse, Bibby’s mum and uncle.
‘Bibby was the only baby to survive her litter. We’ve always joked she’s a bit quirky, and the vet said her injuries from an attack by another cat indicated she lacked the usual survival instincts.’
In the days, weeks and months after Bibby went missing the Kellys spent hours back at Perelle searching lanes, fields and outbuildings.
‘We walked for miles in the thick of winter, shaking dreamies and shouting for our girl – a few tears were shed in the process,’ said Miss Kelly.
‘We sat outside the old house with her litter tray, we knocked on doors throughout the parish and beyond, handing out leaflets, we advertised online, the radio and in the Press, and we went to investigate every sighting of a potential Bibby.
‘We got to know every black cat on the west coast of Guernsey.
‘There was a level of acceptance in the past year or two that we may not ever see her again or find out what happened, but we always hoped she would find her way back by some miracle.’
In the end Bibby was found just 750 metres from her old home.
Miss Kelly said being reunited with her beloved cat had been a lesson in perseverance.
‘If you have a missing cat, don’t give up hope, keep searching and spreading the word. Ensure your cats are chipped and keep your details up to date,’ she said.
‘And to all reading, if you see a cat lingering around your property, please do not chase it away and please report it. It could be a lost cat waiting for someone to help.’
Guernsey’s Lost & Found Pets page (formerly Guernsey Animal Aid) can be found on Facebook.
MICROCHIPPING
Cats started being microchipped in the 1990s.
A tiny microchip is inserted under the pet’s skin, giving the animal its own unique code.
The microchip can be scanned and matched to the owner’s contact details, which are kept on a national database, such as PetLog.
Microchipping is only effective if details are kept up-to-date, such as when owners move house or change their phone number.
In the UK cat owners now have to ensure their pets are microchipped before they reach 20 weeks.
But in Guernsey microchipping is just strongly recommended.
The GSPCA offers microchipping for £4.99 at the shelter. The charity has previously said that four out of five cat deaths they are called to have a microchip, allowing them to contact the owner.
