Homeward Bound: Missing Cat Returns Home After A Decade Away

A couple in the UK is reunited with their beloved cat after a decade apart. The orange cat, named Big Ginge, went missing from the couple’s houseboat in 2011. This pet reunion story is quite incredible and all thanks to a microchip!

At first, the couple wasn’t concerned as the cat frequently left the boat and returned. However, the couple, Colin Clayton and Eva Bellamy, stayed at their location for five days after they realized that Big Ginge was actually missing.

Big Ginge resurfaced a decade later after being brought in by a man who was feeding a stray he had named Marmalade. Vets scanned Marmalade’s microchip and it turns out it was Big Ginge.

The orange tabby no doubt had quite the adventure. As for the mystery surrounding the missing cat’s last decade? 

“Big Ginge has had enough stress in his life and we are confident it will all work out.”

Related: After Adopting Motherless Kittens, Woman Notices Her Dog Acting Strange

Missing Cat Lived On A Narrow Boat

The owners of Big Ginge live on a narrowboat that travels the canals of England.

Also called “continuous cruisers,” these boats permanently drift around the UK’s extensive canal system. Think of them like RVs but they’re on canals. And while floating down a canal seems fun, according to the UK’s Canal and River Trust, it is a lot of work:

Could you honestly say you’d enjoy trudging along the towpath with firewood or trying to empty sanitary tanks when the rain is horizontal, and the wind chill is -5C, and it’s getting dark?

That’s gonna be a no from me.

Always Microchip Your Pets

I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a happy pet reunion story.

This particular story is a good reminder to always microchip your pets. It is easy to do and will save your family a lot of headaches and potential heartbreak.

I remember when I lost my dog, Toto*, and he was not microchipped. It scared me to the point where I couldn’t even see a dog that looked like her without crying. I learned that lesson. 

*Toto was a shepherd collie mutt and was 100 pounds a giant goofball, I named him Toto because at 8 years old I had a keen sense of irony and also it was the only name I could think of in a pinch when I begged my parents to let me bring her home.

Once, my cat Nellie decided to wander off for a few weeks. Thankfully she was microchipped and returned home to continue her life of knocking over water glasses and scratching my face when I refused to feed her at 3am.

Even if you have a housecat, you should microchip them.

You never know when Mr. Giggles* will get an idea to finally go after that bird who has been torturing him for years. 

* Yes I had a cat named Mr. Giggles. He was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Giggles.

Do You Have A Big Ginge Or Pet Reunion Story? 

Do you have a pet missing or a fun story of a pet returning after going on a little vacation of its own?

Share your fun pet or pet reunion story in the comment section below.