A cat missing for almost a year has been reunited with his owner after being found more than 80 miles from home.
Ginge was discovered living among a feral cat colony in Garforth, Leeds, by Cat Action Trust 1977 volunteer Lucy Roche. Believing the ginger cat appeared too tame to be a stray, she caught him and took him to a vet, where a microchip identified his owner in Sunderland, The Mirror reports.
Emotional reunion caught on video
Ms Roche said Ginge's owner was in a “flood of tears when she called to tell her he had been found and could not believe her missing pet was coming home.”
Volunteers at the colony regularly provided food and drink for Ginge when he first appeared at the facility a few weeks earlier.
“I was stroking him and I thought he’s so friendly he could be somebody’s cat”, Lucy said. Eventually, she was able to catch Ginge in a humane trap before taking him to the vets, where his microchip led them to his owner. The long-lost pet then spent the night at Lucy's home as his family travelled to collect him.
Microchip proves vital
“He was snuggled up next to me and was flat out snoozing because he was so tired. I don’t think he’s had a good night’s sleep in ages”, Lucy added.
An emotional video uploaded to social media shows the moment Ginge's owner, Beth, is reunited with the feline the next day, going on to attract attention from around the world.
Lucy continued: “We’ve had people from America, New Zealand saying what a wonderful story it is. The support has been overwhelming.”
Charity highlights importance of microchipping
She said Ginge’s story also showed the importance of having cats microchipped, as it was the only reason the charity had been able to trace his family. Microchipping became a legal requirement for pet cats in England in 2024.
Cat Action Trust 1977 volunteers visit feral colonies across Leeds to provide food, water and warm shelters, while also arranging veterinary care and neutering where needed. Cats can also be rehomed if the area they are living in is considered unsafe, either with new owners or in rural settings such as farms.
Lucy said the Leeds branch, which is run entirely by volunteers, was receiving “non-stop calls for help” every day. She added: “So many cats are getting abandoned, lost or injured. We just want to make life better for all cats.”
