The search is on to find a hitchhiking cat who travelled 250 miles from home before becoming lost in St Albans.
Friendly chocolate-coloured cat Fudge Jenkins, 17, went missing from the Newquay home of his owner Parisa Jenkins, 39, on October 3 - but soon afterwards his microchip was scanned across the country at Animalism vets in St Albans.
Initial contact with the vets was met with confusion as no-one remembered either seeing or treating Fudge.
But Parisa did not give up, and nearly a month later her efforts were rewarded - the mystery scanner had been a vet who had only just returned to work after a period of leave.
The story emerged that the vet had been on holiday in Cornwall, and on her return had found Fudge curled up in the back of her van.
He had climbed in at Newquay and hitchhiked all the back to Hertfordshire before the vet had any idea she had an unwitting passenger. This behaviour is typical for Fudge, who loves riding along in Parisa’s car.
Soon after scanning Fudge, the vet had to take time off following bereavement and Fudge managed to escape.
Now Parisa has launched an appeal for the people of St Albans to help track down Fudge and bring him home.
She said she is exhausted from worrying and setting up the campaign: “I can’t do anything practically but there are lots of people who are offering do to something for me. I am grateful for everybody who helps.
“It’s just not nice, and I feel tired. I have been up since 4am doing as much as I can to get the story out there, it’s a story that people feel for.
“I feel hopeful because he is a survivor and although he’s elderly, he’s healthy.”
She believes someone may have taken him in without considering that he is part of another person’s family.
Fudge’s love of cars has landed him in trouble before, as in October 2016 he accidentally took a spontaneous trip to Plymouth.
On that occasion Parisa managed to track him down and she is optimistic they can be reunited again this time.
Fudge is part Siamese and has a grey patch on his neck where he was attacked by a dog. He was wearing a scruffy black collar when he went missing.
Contact 07581421776 with information about Fudge, or join the Find Fudge Jenkins Facebook page.
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