Woman reunited with missing cat after 11 months

Emotional owner says she's "catching up on lost cuddles"

A BAYDON woman has admitted she was “almost beside herself” after being reunited with her missing cat after nearly a year.

Alison Tomkins feared she’d never see Lexxi, her beloved five-year-old tabby, again.

But last week, after 11 months of being apart, Lexxi was back in her relieved owner’s arms.

Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News, an emotional Mrs Tomkins, a former Baydon parish councillor, said: “I’m so delighted to have him home and safe.

“Lexi instantly recognised me and came over to start catching up on 11 months’ worth of missing cuddles.”

Mrs Tomkins adopted Lexxi and his sister from the North Swindon Cats Protection after they were found left under a hedge with their young mother.

Since then, Mrs Tomkins said the pair have been like her “babies” and hold a very special place in her heart.

So, when Lexxi went missing on September 12 last year, a devastated Mrs Tomkins immediately set about trying to find her pet.

She feared he may have jumped into an Ocado van, which was delivering a package to her neighbour that afternoon, as it was the perfect height for him to climb into.

A desperate Mrs Tomkins managed to find out where the delivery van was heading – Lambourn.

After spending weeks searching Lambourn and all the surrounding areas and posting countless appeals on social media, there was still no sign of Lexxi.

Mrs Tomkins even went as far as driving several miles in the middle of the night after hearing reports of dead cats – worried it may have been hers.

After discovering the Ocado van went on to Swindon after Lambourn, Mrs Tomkins headed to Wiltshire to continue her search – but again to no avail.

However, on Monday last week, Mrs Tomkins received the phone call she had been waiting 11 months for – Lexxi had been found.

The phone call came from Eastcott Vets in Swindon, notifying her that they scanned the chip discovered in the missing cat.

Lexxi was brought into the vets by a woman who had been feeding him for three weeks.

However, the curious cat’s whereabouts up until that point have, so far, remained a mystery.

Lexxi is missing some of his fluffy tail, has lost a little weight and is covered in matted hair and lumps, but is otherwise unscathed.

Mrs Tomkins and her partner have jokingly described Lexxi’s adventure as his “gap year”, as no one knows exactly where he has been.

She hopes that his winter coat will grow back and that other people who are also missing their beloved pets have a happy ending like her.

Mrs Tomkins is recommending that every pet owner gets their animals chipped and keeps the data up to date, as without that she may have never been reunited with Lexxi.