Cat from Rochdale who went missing 12 years ago has been found 230 miles away from home

A cat from Greater Manchester vanished 12 years ago, but has now been discovered living on a campsite 230 miles away from home. 

Georgie, a 15 year-old-cat, has been missing since 2008, when she disappeared while the family were on a camping trip in Scotland.

The cat has been living on a campsite in Loch Lomond for a year, which is due to close. Rescuers were baffled to find the microchip registered to an address hundreds of miles away in Rochdale.

Rescuers have said her life for the past decade will ‘forever remain a mystery’. 

Cats Protection Glasgow said: “Georgie’s family got her as a kitten and from when she was 12 weeks old onwards, she enjoyed regular camping trips with her family starting out on a lead.

“Eventually she 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 suspect she has definitely been around humans.”

Georgie’s shocked family have decided to not collect their cat and instead rehome her. 

Rescuers continued: “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.”

Cats Protection added this incident shows the importance of microchipping pets.

They said: “This story just shows the importance of microchipping your pet and also a message to everyone who has a missing pet, don’t give up hope as Georgie has been found after 12 years.”

We’ll never know what she got up to for the past decade but at least she’s been found safe and sound!