Cat reunited with owner four years after he went missing in Cambridgeshire
An "overjoyed" cat lover has been reunited with her cat, four years after he disappeared.
Mojo was only two years old when he went missing from his home in Peterborough in 2020.
Despite extensive searching by his owner Alison Woodrow there was no trace of him.
However, when a cat was taken in for a check-up at a local vet practice and scanned for a microchip, it turned out to be Mojo.
Ms Woodrow received a call from the vet saying "we've found your cat", and the pair were reunited.
Ms Woodrow is a volunteer fosterer for Cats Protection Peterborough and District, a charity dedicated to rehoming unwanted cats, which is how she first met her beloved furry friend.
"Mojo was a tiny foundling kitten who was in a terrible state and very poorly," she said.
"I bought him back from the brink and in my 10+ years of fostering, he was the only cat I ever adopted – he was my failed foster."
After he disappeared, Ms Woodrow was heartbroken.
"Not knowing what had happened to Mojo was just awful; you always think the worst and as we had some very big dogs in the area I was fearful of what could have happened to him," she said.
However, Mojo is now settling back into his home very well, sleeping on his owner's bed and even meeting the litter of kittens she is currently fostering.
She says Mojo's story highlights the importance of checking for a microchip.
“Microchips are invaluable in getting missing cats home.
"It’s also important to spread the message that anyone who finds a stray gets them scanned for a chip.
"There are lots of lovely volunteers in Peterborough who will come out and do this, and it would be helpful if vets could check for chips prior to any treatment.”
Since last month, micro-chipping has been compulsory in the UK, but Ms Woodrow said there was still more people could do.
As well as encouraging tradespeople to check their vans for strays, she praises the action of a local farmer who checked his bonfire before lighting it, and found the litter of kittens she is now looking after.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know