CLAIRE Crinion had given up all hope of finding her cat after ten years – until she received a call out of the blue this week.
The last time she saw Jeff the cat was in 2014 at their Mont Felard home, where the pet “managed to claw her way out” and “shot off”.
Despite putting up posters and posting on Facebook for any information she said “nothing came of it”.
“I moved to the UK in 2015. I updated her microchip details to my UK details but still nothing,” Ms Crinion added.
By the time she moved back to Jersey in 2020, she had lost all hope that Jeff would turn up, until she received a call to say the feline had been found “safe and well”.
Jeff had been tracked down and taken to the vet, with her microchip scanned to confirm her identity.
But where Jeff has been for the past decade remains a mystery.
Ms Crinion expressed her gratitude to Jean Faulk, a volunteer with the Cat Action Trust, who was able to trace Jeff via New Era Vets, where the cat was still registered.
Ms Crinion added: “I don’t know how she did it but she managed to track me down, even though I hadn’t updated my contact details.”
After being reunited with the cat, Ms Crinion made the difficult decision to “do the best for Jeff” and leave her with Dru Burdon, of the Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group, who is now the animal’s new “proud” owner.
Ms Crinion said Jeff had been hanging around Ms Burdon’s home for a couple of months and had become used to her property, eventually stepping inside following the death of one of Ms Burdon’s cats. Ms Crinion added that she now lived on a main road and had also since acquired a “wonderful” dog, which meant taking her long-lost cat back was not practical.
Ms Burdon told the JEP that she had seen the cat hanging around for several months but explained that it appeared to have a home and was in good condition.
“I wasn’t that worried until a few days ago when she started being more vocal and was around all day. So I thought it was time we checked out who she belonged to,” said Ms Burdon.
She emphasised the importance of microchipping and gave credit to the local Cat Search Group on Facebook for their contribution in reuniting Jeff with her owner.
Jeff seems to be settling in well, Ms Burdon said, and was yesterday hiding under one of the hedgehog hutches at her property.
In a post on social media, Ms Crinion thanked Ms Burdon for “keeping her safe” and added that Jeff now has a “home for life”.
Ms Crinion said: “She will be very well cared for and safe and warm for the winter.”
