A CAT that was missing from his West Byfleet home for six months, has been found more than 80 miles away and returned to his owners.

Smokey, a two-year-old Russian Blue, was identified because his owner, Claire Clough, had him fitted with a microchip.

“Smokey is known for being a bit of a wanderer, so we had already made good use of his microchip, which was fitted when he was just a few weeks old,” Claire said.

“However, in early February he really did go missing. I must admit that after four weeks of no news, we, and his sister Willow, had given up hope of finding him.”

Two weeks ago, while Claire was on holiday, she received a call from a vet in Folkestone, 83 miles from West Byfleet, to say he was alive and well and awaiting collection.

“Apparently, he had been visiting a local garage for nourishment,” Claire said. “He was very thirsty and had a slight limp.  We’re just so grateful that the local vet took him in and that we were called immediately.”

Smokey was given a check-up at the Medivet West Byfleet Branch. He was declared fit to go home and found to have put on a little weight during his adventure.

Claire said: “Smokey has now settled back in really well under the watchful eye of his sister Willow.  There is absolutely no way he would have been back here with us without his microchip.”

For the full story get the 26 September edition of the News & Mail