When Ashlie’s owners went away on holiday in November 2017, they didn’t expect to come home to find that she’d gone missing. After being fed by neighbours for a week, she was due to be collected by family members for the second week. However, upon their arrival Ashlie was nowhere to be seen, nor was she on subsequent visits over the coming days.

Trying to remain positive whilst on holiday, Ashlie’s owners felt certain that once they arrived home and she heard their voices that she would return. Sadly, this wasn’t the case.

After enlisting the help of Cats Protection, searching, putting up posters & leaflets and registering Ashlie’s chip as ‘lost’ her owners were faced with the heartbreaking possibility that either something awful had happened or that Ashlie had found a new home – as cats sometimes do! As expected, her owners were very upset but continued on with their then 18-month-old son.

Jump forward to January 2020, a couple came into us to have a microchip checked on a cat that they had been looking after for the past 18 months. It was Ashlie! No one knows what she was up to for the first six months since she’d disappeared (if only she could tell us!) but she had been well looked after since and whilst the people who had been caring for her were obviously sad to see her go (even offering to care for her in future if the owners go on holiday!), her owners were shocked and delighted to have her home!

Ashlie came in to see Zoe for a general health check shortly after and we’re pleased to say she’s settled back in like the past two years never happened! She’s also returned home to a new family member as her owners have since had a second child. Understandably her owners were nervous when it came to allowing her out again for the first time but after an anxious wait she happily returned in the evening and has been enjoying cuddles back with her family.

We hope this story gives hope to anyone who has had a pet go missing whilst also reminding us all of the importance of ensuring that microchip information is kept up to date, this was essential to the happy ending of this tale.

Ashlie’s owner says the story of her two-year adventure and surprising return will certainly be one she tells her Grandchildren!