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Ginger tom found in Tadley 225 miles from home




'Ode to Binks ' penned by doorstep discoverer

AN adventurous ginger tomcat has been reunited with his owners – after he was found in Tadley, 225 miles away from his Yorkshire home.

Binks was recently found on the doorstep of Mo Watson, of Wolverton Townsend.

“He was meowing a lot, it was dreadful,” said Mrs Watson.

“I opened the door and he was running around and so thin, so I thought I had better feed him – then he wanted more, so we called him Oliver.”

The adventurous cat decided to venture next door as he pawed his way through the catflap of Mrs Watson’s neighbour, Steve Nunn.

“He ate all Steven’s cat’s food – and his cat flew upstairs,” said Mrs Watson.

Mr Nunn, who owns two tom cats, said Binks had since proved a fussy eater, and his culinary demands had been met by his wife, Helen.

Mr Nunn suggested they take Binks to GP Vets, in West Street, Tadley.

Vet Ken Dolan said the cat was “slim but fit”, and Binks’ real owners were tracked down thanks to a microchip inserted under the cat’s skin.

The chip revealed Binks had been missing from his West Yorkshire home since March, and he was duly dispatched home by special courier.

Owner Jemma Porter, from Bradford, said she was very happy to get Binks back and he had re-settled at home.

“We live near a road which had quite a lot of elderly people on it,” said Mrs Porter.

“So we thought he’d found himself somewhere without a toddler, another cat and a cocker spaniel!”

The family guessed Binks had jumped in a van to make his epic journey – and have not ruled out further trips.

The Porters also sent flowers as a thank you to both Mrs Nunn and Mrs Watson.

Mrs Porter said: “We’re really grateful to the vets for looking after him as we had to arrange how to get him back up north.

“They also gave him a check-up to make sure he was as fit and healthy as he was when he left his on little Dick Whittington journey.

“He did pretty well, they said he was a little underweight and had just one tick, so he was really lucky.”

Vets and the RSPCA have chip scanners, and Mr Dolan issued a plea for owners to get all animals chipped, including horses and tortoises.

The chipping service is on a £10 special offer at GP Vets in Tadley during this month’s National Microchip Month.

Poem by Mo Watson, inspired by Binks the cat.

A ginger cat came to my door one day

meow meow he said and round and round he went

he would have done a handstand if he could

but “wahtever” he made himself understood

he was so thin we gave him food but he kept asking for more

so we called him oliver and he came indoors

We made him a bed out in the barn

with a blanket inside he was nice and warm

He slept in each day till after nine put his head over the basket

wow! is it really that time, we all fell in love wth this well mannered cat

but someone must be missing this charming young fellow

so a journey to the vet proved he had a chip,

and that was the end of his little trip

he had travelled 250 miles from home

You really have to say

that was not just any old ginger cat

we miss you

Mo Helen Steve



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