Lightning went missing last July when she managed to open the door on her pet carrier while her owner walked home after taking her to the vets for her annual vaccinations.
The 18-month-old black cat bolted just 200 yards from home in Broughton Manor, Malton, sparking a seven-month search by heartbroken owners Rees and Chloe Jackson, who never gave up trying to find their pet they had rescued as a kitten.
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Now they have been reunited with Lightning after she was taken to Minster Vets in Middlecave Road, Malton, by a member of the public, and the practice was able to track down her owners after scanning to see if she was microchipped.
A microchip is a small chip around the size of a grain of rice which is inserted under a cat’s skin, usually by a vet, a local authority or a member of an animal welfare organisation, such as Cats Protection. The microchip gives a cat their own unique code and is held on a database.
Veterinary nurse Michelle Coatsworth scanned Lightning for a microchip at the surgery and found his owners had registered her as missing. She was able to easily trace her owners and reunite them with their pet.
On 10th June, the microchipping of pet cats will become compulsory in England. Under the new Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one implanted or they may face a fine of up to £500.
Minster Vets is now encouraging owners to have their cat microchipped so they can avoid the heartbreak of losing their pet or incurring a hefty fine.
Michelle said: “We often have cats handed in and they don’t all have the happy ending like Lightning’s story as the chance of their owners finding them are slim if they are not microchipped. This is the longest time we have known a cat be missing before being reunited with their owners after they were handed in at the practice. It was a lovely moment when I was able to let Mr Jackson know we had Lightening, and this shows the importance of having your cat chipped.”
Lightning’s owners thought they would never see her again, and feared the worst when, two months after her disappearance, they saw a post on Facebook about a cat that had been killed on the busy A64.
Rees said: “We were devastated when she escaped from her pet carrier when we were walking home. Previously, she never strayed far from our garden so would not have known the way home.
“We searched until 4am the next day round the estate but there was no sign of her. We continued searching and knocking on doors, checking under cars and asking people permission to search their garden. We contacted cat rescue centres and local vets, as well as posting on Facebook.
“When I received a call from Minster Vets, I thought they were calling about flea and worm treatment for our other cat, but they told me they had some good news and had Lightning at the surgery.
“I couldn’t believe it and started to cry as she means the world to us. It is such a relief having her home. I really recommend that anyone who owns a cat has them microchipped.”
