Mystery of campsite cat
A cat which disappeared on a family trip 12 years ago has been discovered at a campsite on the east side of Loch Lomond.
Fifteen-year-old Georgie turned up at a campsite near Rowardennan last summer.
But mystery surrounds where she has been living before she appeared there.
The campsite is now closed and is not set to reopen until next year, so the Cats Protection League have been tasked with finding Georgie a new home.
Rescuers, on reading her microchip, found out that Georgie had been registered to an address more than 200 miles away in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
Georgie’s owners were tracked down and said their beloved cat had been missing for more than a decade.
She had disappeared in 2008, aged 12 weeks, while the family were on holiday, but where she has been since turning up at the Rowardennan campsite is a mystery.
A Glasgow Cats Protection spokesperson said:“georgie he would roam the grounds of where they were staying and would always come back no problem.
“Twelve years ago, her owner had a baby and Georgie took exception to this, so when they came up here to Loch Lomond on a camping trip in October 2008, on the final day, Georgie disappeared and never returned.
“Where she has been for the past 12 years might forever remain a mystery but she’s still really friendly so we suspect she has definitely been around humans.”
Georgie’s family have decided not to collect their cat and she will be rehomed.
The spokesperson added: “Her family were obviously extremely shocked to find out that Georgie has been found 12 years later, and although their heart is telling them to drive up to Glasgow straight away to collect her, all of us know it’s not the right thing for Georgie.
“Her family got another cat nine years ago who doesn’t like other cats, and we suspect Georgie also doesn’t like other cats, so it wouldn’t work and it would be quite a journey home for her only to discover what we already know.
“So Georgie will be cared for by us until we are ready to find her another loving home. Her previous family will keep in touch with us to find out how she’s doing while she’s with us.”
The Glasgow Cats Protection spokesperson pointed out the importance of getting pets microchipped as it gives owners who have lost their animals hope that they will be found, adding:“this story just shows the importance of microchipping your pet, and is also a message to everyone who has a missing pet, don’t give up as Georgie has been found after 12 years”.
She’s really friendly so we suspect she’s been around humans