The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Heartbroken cat owner’s lost pet plea
A Tayside woman has urged people to report lost animals promptly after her cat died following four months on the run.
Elizabeth Keillor was left heartbroken when seven-year-old Paddy failed to return to her home in Carnoustie in September .
He was eventually found at Ashludie Grange in Monifieth, starving and with matted fur, shortly after New Year.
Elizabeth said he was apparently being fed by builders working on new houses but when they left for Christmas, Paddy was left with no food in bitterly cold weather.
She said despite putting up “missing” posters all over Tayside, no one who saw Paddy wandering the streets alerted her.
The cat eventually had to be put down as he suffered two strokes and a fit.
Elizabeth now wants to raise awareness of the importance of reporting wandering pets to prevent a repeat.
She said: “One night in September Paddy went out and when we woke up he still wasn’t back. It was very unusual as he normally didn’t go far and was always back for his food. We put up posters, posted on Facebook and went out looking for him.
“I have no idea how he got to Monifieth – perhaps he jumped in the back of a van.”
Elizabeth and her husband Ronald never gave up looking but said after a while they started to lose hope.
It was only when Elizabeth’s sister saw a photo of him on Facebook that the cat was finally reunited with his family.
However, Elizabeth added: “He worsened that night and the vet called me asking for permission to put him to sleep. He could barely walk.
“I want to prevent this happening to others – if you see an animal wandering around please report it.”