Marley, who resided in Trafford with her family, disappeared in 2012 after escaping from her harness during a walk. Like any loyal pet owner, the family searched far and wide for their cat and put-up missing posters in the hopes Marley would be returned to them. Unfortunately, they never saw her again – until now.
Fast-forward nine years, the family received a phone call from cat rescue charity PawPurrs Halfway House in Chorlton, England. Their beloved pet had been handed in on the 19th of December.
The family were told their cat had been left outside and was filthy and matted. According to the shelter, a man had noticed the cat had been straying in the local area for three months, so he decided to do the right thing and turn her in.
Charity owner Katie Hayes said that when she checked Marley the following morning, her microchip showed her former owner’s details. After calling the family number on the microchip with the good news, Katie was left astounded to find out that this cat had been missing since 2012. The woman on the phone was reportedly ‘gobsmacked’, as she had presumed the cat was dead.
Marley and her family have now been reunited, just in time for Christmas. Despite Marley turning 20 next month, the family are still hopeful to make up for lost time.
Katie told Manchester Evening News: “I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know who was more shocked, her or me. They are completely overjoyed and in shock. Nearly half her life she’s been straying. Someone else must have been feeding her other than the man who brought her to me. I just can’t believe nobody in ten years thought to get her chip checked. Goodness where she has been for all this time.”
Katie has a warning for any new or unexperienced cat owners, as she said: “The most important basic essential for being a responsible owner is to microchip your pets. Next is neuter and vaccinate them. Also, if you feed a stray, please get it scanned for a chip, as someone somewhere will be missing them. It’s taken 10 years to get her home. I just hope she lives a bit longer to appreciate home comforts with her family again – what a Christmas miracle!”
