Coronavirus Crisis Lost cats are found ... one benefit of the lockdown
AN INCREASING number of cat owners have been reunited with their long lost pets in Southport in a surprising effect of the town being on lockdown.
A recent spate of good weather with many people confined to their gardens may have created the perfect conditions for people to keep an eye out for cats in their neighbourhood and find them in unusual places.
Outdoor cats often end up having more than one home where they know they can get fed, but growing concerns about transmission of the coronavirus may have led residents to stop letting in strange cats.
In local missing pets Facebook groups there now appears to be a trend of cats being reunited with their owners.
Freshfields Animal Rescue cat expert Penny said: “The most likely explanation is probably that the cats have been spending their time recently going around the neighbourhood scoping out potential feeders and adopting those that meet their standards.
“The ‘lost’ cat will have been living the life of Riley with two, three, four or more households, each of which is convinced they are helping a poor stray.
“Now the supply of illicit Dreamies and soft beds is dwindling.
“Everyone is staying at home, and there are fewer back doors to slip in at, fewer people to accost in the street. The supermarkets are short of cat food.
“Times are hard for the freeloading cat. Many will accept the inevitable with good grace and return to where they are supposed to be.”
Jackie Kelly from Crossens received a phone call to say after 15 weeks her 13-year-old tabby, Alfie, had been found.
He was very weak and had to be treated at the vets for dehydration.
Jackie said: “It was a lovely surprise when we received the phone call that he had been found.
“He’s been to the vet and they think he’s been locked in a shed.
“We think because of the lockdown and sunny weather people are reopening the sheds to do their gardens.”
A cat that went viral in Southport was successfully found thanks to an online campaign and diligent neighbours.
Katrina O’ Sullivan, a cyber project manager from Birkdale, was reunited with her cat, Chief, on March 24 after he went missing from Richmond Road on Valentine’s Day.
The nine-year-old silver tabby cat was spotted in a house where Paul Ennis builders were working on Hartley Road – an area where Katrina had previously searched.
Katrina said: “We only knew where he was because a lady spotted him in the window and got in touch.
“The community and my neighbours were amazing and are the reason he is home.”
The woman who discovered Chief knew who to call because of Katrina’s online campaign.
Her neighbour, Olivia, cleverly set up a motion cam so they could catch him with traps given by Jaspers Alley Cat Animal Welfare on Lytham Street.
Katrina said: “Paul Ennis left the keys in my possession too to make sure we got him out no matter how long it took.
“When I put up that he was home, the post got almost 400 likes and over 200 comments. I was blown away by the support the people of this town gave me to keep me positive.”