Linda Ellerton never thought she’d see her cat Whiskas again. However, the pair have been reunited in an emotional reunion, more than 10 years after the beloved feline went missing.
Whiskas, who is 16 years old, was found in Chilton Moor, near Durham in the UK, which is close to where she lived before disappearing.
A local resident found her taking residence in his shed and took her to a vet in December, where she was found to have an old RSPCA microchip.
Whiskas was adopted by Linda in 2007 after being found as a stray kitten by the RSPCA in Scotland. After living with Linda for 6 years, Whiskas disappeared, with the family moving house after giving up hope of seeing their pet again. Linda, who last saw Whiskas in 2013, was alerted after the charity put out an online appeal.
“When I saw the RSPCA Facebook post I thought it can’t possibly be Whiskas after all these years,” she said, adding: “I thought the photos looked like her, but it had been so long and we’d never thought we’d see her again.
“We thought she had found somewhere else to live when she didn’t come in one night.”
RSPCA inspector, David Dawon, said that it was emotional to see the pair being reunited:
“It was pleasing that we were able to reunite Linda with Whiskas after all these years. She had a cuddle with her and it was very emotional to see.”
It is thought that Whiskas spent her time as a stray for the past ten years, and has since developed a kidney infection, which will require ongoing treatment. Despite her ordeal, the black and white feline is recovering well and living with Linda’s brother, David:
“She is 16 and I’ve now got a dog, so it would be difficult for a cat her age to live with me, but my brother, David, was only too happy to take her and keep her in the family.”
