NEVER GIVE UP HOPE: Elgin owners reunited with missing cat, thanks to Cats Protection teams in Tain and Moray, after it spent two years in Highland feral feline 'gang' in Inverness
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A cat has been reunited with its owners after going missing around two years ago.
Tain and District Cats Protection Branch told followers to never give up hope when sharing the remarkable story of Gizmo, who was also known as Sylvie.
The adventurous feline somehow made its way to site near Inverness, 35 miles away from its home in Elgin, before the cats welfare charity got involved.
"Sylvie appeared in the yard of Wyvis Roofing at Dalcross almost two years ago," stated a spokesman for the branch on social media.
"As Sylvie wouldn’t come near anyone and disappeared when she saw anyone, director Willie Sharp thought she was feral. The company already have two feral cats, one of which came from Tain Cats Protection – so Sylvie joined the little 'gang', was fed daily, had a little shelter built with a heater for winter, along with extra straw-filled beds in sheds in the yard for the cold winter months. Recently Willie became concerned about Sylvie’s condition and asked for help.
"Willie is absolutely delighted that Sylvie, now Gizmo, has been reunited with her family.
"We took Sylvie to a local vet practice on arrival and it was discovered she had been neutered at one time, that she was very friendly and obviously been used to human contact. We set about giving her the treatment she required before she would be suitable for adoption.
"When she had had her dental/vaccinations/microchipping/thyroid treatment, she was ready to be advertised.
"This time, as Sylvie had come from the area around Inverness, we asked the Moray Cats Protection Branch if they would advertise her on their Facebook page too. The upshot of this was that Sylvie’s owners Jill and Alan contacted us to say that Sylvie – formerly Gizmo – was their cat and had been missing for two years. They stay in Elgin.
"They can only assume Gizmo had managed to stowaway in a van and ended up in Inverness. They had advertised her on posters and through the Facebook page of the Moray branch, but no-one came forward to say they had seen her.
"When Jill and Alan came to our fosterers’ home to see Sylvie, Sylvie immediately recognised them and was very happy to be lifted and petted. Jill, Alan and Gizmo returned to their home in Elgin delighted to be reunited with their very much loved pet.
"This is why if your cat disappears, never give up hope of it eventually being found and returned to you.
"As the photograph shows, Jill and Alan are so delighted to welcome Gizmo home. What a really lovely outcome."
