Beloved pet cat who disappeared from Blackpool home reunited with owner nearly three years later

Cookie and Star, a long-haired ginger tom and a female tortoise-shell, went missing from their Victory Road home in late 2016.

Their owner, Karen Wiley, 35, feared they had been stolen, and thought she would never see her beloved pets again, but Cookie was found dodging diggers on a Layton building site one year later.

He was reunited with Karen, who had moved to Scotland, using the details found on his microchip.

Now, two and a half years later, Star has finally returned home after she was found wandering in Layton, close to where Cookie was found.

Cath Middleton, of Blackpool Nine Lives, who helped reunite Karen with both her cats along with pet rescue group Homeward Bound, said: “She thought they had been stolen because they both went missing around the same time, and because they are both pretty-looking, long-haired cats, she thought they might want them for breeding.

“Star was found in Layton in the same area as Cookie so we don’t know if somebody has taken them and then dumped them in 
the same area.

“We’re always getting calls through from people who have found cats and the first thing way say is to call Homeward Bound or take them to the vets for a microchip scan, because then it can be reunited straight away.

“Microchips are wonderful things that way.”

Karen said: “I couldn’t even put into words how I feel. I’m so, so relieved because they are part of my family.

“They remembered me straight away. They never leave my side. It’s like they’ve never been away. I’m delighted and I feel so grateful to whoever looked after them.”