A family have been reunited with their cat they presumed was dead six years after he first went missing.
Joanna and Nik Farmer, from Torquay in Devon, lost their cat Jimi in August 2016 after he escaped from a friend’s open window.
After an unsuccessful search to find him, the couple had accepted that they were unlikely to see him again.
Joanna described Jimi as her “best friend” and said she felt “heartbroken” when he went missing.
“We searched everywhere for him, there were even a few sightings but they never turned out to be him,” Joanna said.
Jimi was rescued by local charity Hector’s House Cat Rescue earlier this month, after a woman from Babbacome said she had noticed a cat sleeping outside her home.
While Jimi was microchipped and reported as missing, the registered details were all out of date as the family had moved to the neighboring town of Brixham.
The charity posted an appeal to Facebook on 14 October. Within hours, it had reached Joanna.
Zara Oldfield, from Hector’s House Cat Rescue said Joanna was “absolutely stunned”.
“She lives 15 miles away from Torquay, so she came and saw him on Saturday morning,” Oldfield said.
“I recorded their meeting, because I’m curious to see if cats recognise their owners after so long.
“At first he didn’t have a clue but I advised her to keep talking, as sound and voice is what cats respond to the most. After about four minutes, he gave a her a long look and then he started headbutting her hand - he knew who she was.”
Jimi has now moved back home with Joanna. Since his disappearance, the couple now have three children.
“I just couldn’t believe it, my mouth literally dropped. It was like he hadn’t been missing, he looked exactly the same,” Joanna said.
“He’s been fine with the children and he lays on me like he used to, giving love and affection. He hasn’t changed, he’s just six years older. I’m still pinching myself, it’s just incredible.”
Hector’s House Cat Rescue has urged all pet owners to ensure they microchip their cats.
“If Jimi hadn’t been microchipped, then he would still be out on the street and most likely would have never come home,” Oldfield said.
“This is a lesson in why you should microchip your pets. People never think their cat is going to go missing until it happens to them.”
