Lost cat's microchip ends two-year search

A cat owner who spent months searching for her beloved moggie and thought she would never see him again has been reunited with him after two years.

Louie, from Stoke-on-Trent, left his home in Weston Coyney as usual towards the end of 2023 - but then did not return.

Owner Asia Healey said she thought he must have got locked in somewhere.

"He's very sweet but he's always been timid and he often hides, so when he went out and didn't return, I assumed that he'd become locked in a garage or shed," she said.

"I spent months searching for him, but to no avail.

"I originally adopted Louie nine years ago. He was a rescue kitten and had been living as a stray with his mum and the rest of the litter."

She put up posters and regularly sent out posts on social media to try and track down the missing feline at but eventually lost hope of ever seeing him again.

Then, out of the blue, she was contacted by a vets after Louie had been found as a stray, taken to a cat rescue centre and his microchip with her details was scanned.

He is now back home with Healey where she is keeping an eye on him as he lives indoors.

"I picked him up and brought him home and he's clearly very happy to be back, so much so that he has no desire to go outside, so he's become a house cat," she added.

Vet Matt Humphrey said the case highlighted the importance of having pets microchipped, a legal requirement for cats in England since June 2024.

"We'll probably never know where he's been for the past two years, but cats are very adaptable and they're survivors," he said.

"Although Louie no longer wants to go outside, it's probably because he prefers the comfort, safety and security of staying in, which can also be a common trait in cats as they age, but hopefully he can now put his ordeal behind him."

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