Long-lost cat reunited with family after going missing four years ago

SAM February 15, 2021

missing cat Bella — Bella is now back with her family (Picture: PA)

A long-lost cat has found her happy ending.

Black cat Bella went missing from her Fife home almost four years ago – but the moggy has recently been reunited with her family.

Back in January, a member of the public found the kitty soaking wet and sheltering under a car on Tillicoultry High Street – around 15 miles away from her home.

Kelly McGuire, a Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer, collected the feline and – thanks to her microchip – Bella’s family were contacted.

Bella on a blanket — Bella’s owners didn’t think they would see her again (Picture: PA)

Owner Joel Caldicott and his three sons were ‘astonished’ to hear the news that Bella was coming home, as the family had previously come to terms with the fact they would probably never see their beloved cat again.

Joel said: ‘Bella went missing on the day we returned home from a holiday in May 2017. We must have just missed her as our friend fed her that morning and we arrived home in the afternoon.

‘Sadly, we didn’t see Bella again. We had to tell our sons, who were all under 10 years old at the time, that Bella wasn’t coming back. That was very difficult for all of us.

‘When Kelly (McGuire) phoned out of the blue to tell us that Bella had been found, after almost four years missing, we were completely shocked but elated too.’

Bella in the house — Home sweet home (Picture: PA)

Bella was thin but otherwise appeared to be in good health when she was found earlier this year.

Animal rescue officer Kelly said: ‘I was absolutely shocked to hear she had been missing since 2017. How she travelled over 15 miles from Fife to Clackmannanshire is anyone’s guess.

‘I returned Bella home to her family, the Caldicotts, and they were over the moon to have her back.’