Microchip reveals an imposter

A cat owner was amazed when an RSPCA animal collection officer returned his missing pet - but only because he thought the cat had found its own way home months earlier.

When Richard Castle opened his door to find Animal Collection Officer (ACO) Kate Waterman with his cat Blue, he thought it was a joke - as far as he knew Blue was asleep in the next room.

In fact, the cat in Richard's home was not Blue at all, but another cat that Richard had believed to be his, after his original pet went missing.



"Blue went missing after I moved house 18 months ago," explains Richard. "Then eight months ago a cat turned up and I thought it was Blue and so I took him in. I had no idea that he was not my original cat!"

ACO Waterman had picked up Blue as a stray with an injured paw. A routine microchip scan revealed his owner's details, and led to the surprise reunion. Blue is now settled back at home and is living happily alongside his imposter, renamed Red.

"It just goes to show how important it is to have your pet microchipped," said ACO Waterman. "Without a microchip, Richard would never have seen Blue again."