The missing cat who hitched a ride from Cornwall has been found safe and well in St Albans.
Chocolate-coloured cat Fudge Jenkins went missing from Newquay at the beginning of October - some weeks later his microchip was scanned 250 miles away at Animalism vets in St Albans.
The friendly kitty had climbed into the back of a van and curled up to sleep, unwittingly travelling back to Hertfordshire and escaping on Sandridge Road.
His owner Parisa Jenkins, 39, launched a wide reaching search campaign using social media and local news outlets to get the word out.
Yesterday morning a resident of Sandridge Road, who would prefer to remain anonymous, recognised Fudge in his back garden from a description in the Herts Ad.
He called Cats Protection St Albans and deputy co-ordinator Angela Lipman answered: “We got a report from a member of the public who had seen this cat and recognised the description of Fudge from the Herts Ad article, so had the presence of mind to shut him in and called us.”
After a microchip scan confirmed his identity, Angela passed Fudge onto a temporary foster carer and contacted Parisa.
Adding: “He looked okay, a bit thin but we would expect that. He was friendly and pleased to see people and when we opened the pet carrier he just walked in.
“It’s a great feeling, days like that when you can reunite owners with their cats is one of the reasons we volunteer. It also shows the need to microchip.”
Angela is not surprised Fudge did not wander away from the road where he was lost because neutered cats will often stay somewhere safe, in hiding. It is unneutered male felines who will roam around in order to find a mate.
Parisa received the news on her 40th birthday: “I had an incredible 40th birthday yesterday; a beach ride with two great friends, a surprise lunch with my husband and more brilliant friends and, then, to top it off, the phone call that brought happy tears, informing me that my beloved Fudge is safe and waiting for me to bring him home after his unplanned six week vacation in St Albans.”
She thanked everyone in the city who helped search, describing them as “incredible people” who “go above and beyond in their voluntary duty”.
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