A beloved tabby cat that went missing 10 years ago has finally returned home, giving her owners an emotional reunion they never thought possible.
A beloved tabby cat that went missing 10 years ago has finally returned home, giving her owners an emotional reunion they never thought possible. Charlie, who disappeared in 2016, was found last month and reunited with her family on Lucy Robertson’s 30th birthday.
Lucy and Hannah Robertson were left "heartbroken" when Charlie, then just three years old, went missing in April 2016. The adventurous feline was an outdoor cat who loved roaming the streets. However, shortly after the family moved to a new neighbourhood, Charlie failed to return home.
Despite spending months looking for their missing pet, the family could not find any concrete leads. A few tips offered brief hope, but Charlie remained missing for years.
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Hannah, 37, had moved from Newbridge to Abercarn, in Caerphilly county, just a few miles away, a decade ago. Within three days of the move, Charlie, whom Hannah described as a "bit fiery", disappeared.
"We did have one or two tip-offs... we tried to find her, but we kept missing her," Hannah said.
"We never lost hope. But sadly, we just couldn't find her," she told BBC Radio Wales Drive.
Lucy recalled how the family had asked around and shared posts on Facebook in an attempt to locate Charlie, but their efforts yielded no results.
"It was heartbreaking. We were scared that she had been knocked over or that she wasn't around any more," she said.
Cat Missing For A Decade Found Living In Bushes
On 29 July, Hannah received an unexpected phone call from a veterinary practice in Abercarn who informed her that Charlie had been found, leaving her completely "gobsmacked".
A local resident had discovered the cat living in bushes nearby and had been feeding the suspected stray for several weeks. Eventually, the person took Charlie to a veterinary practice, where staff scanned her microchip and used the registered contact details to reach Hannah.
The veterinary team was also "really shocked" to learn that the cat had been missing for an entire decade, Hannah said.
Despite her prolonged disappearance, Charlie appeared to be in remarkably good health. Her fur was in good condition, and she did not look "dishevelled", leaving her family amazed by how well she had fared.
"She's been on an adventure," Hannah said, adding that she guessed "we'll never know" what happened to Charlie during those 10 years.
'She Recognised Us Straight Away'
For Lucy and Hannah, the most heartwarming part of the reunion was seeing that Charlie still recognised them after so many years apart.
Lucy said their beloved pet had recognised them "straight away", describing it as "lovely, because we didn't expect that".
"She doesn't look much different at all, she looks exactly the same as the old photos we have of her," she said.
Charlie is now settling back into family life, although adjusting to living alongside the household's other pets has taken some time.
Lucy explained that it "is a bit of a work in progress" getting her comfortable with the other animals, "but we're definitely getting there".
For now, Charlie appears to be thoroughly enjoying her return home. She has been relishing the "food and attention," Lucy said, and remains just as friendly as she was when she disappeared 10 years ago.
She has also been soaking up all the extra "attention", with her family delighted to have their long-lost companion back.
"Right now I feel like she knows she's a bit of a celebrity."
