Cat lost 60 miles from home reunited with family

But for one much-loved pet, the reality was more of a nightmare, after he escaped from a car 60 miles from his new home.

Now his owners have praised the kindness of strangers after an online appeal helped reunite them with missing Percy.

Following the death of his owner, Percy the cat and his sister Tiddles were in transit from his old home in Stockport to his new home with his former owner's daughter in Hereford when he escaped mid-journey.

Wendy Middleton, said: "Percy and Tiddles were my parents cats, and very much loved, but sadly my mum passed away in February.

"It was decided that the cats should be rehomed to me, but Percy had other ideas!

After a few false starts and one broken cat-flap as a determined Percy evaded capture, both cats were finally caught and began their journey to Hereford.

"As we live in Hereford and the cats lived in Stockport, we arranged for my brother to meet at our halfway point, the New Inn at Hadnall.

"My brother arrived at the pub and opened the boot of his car, only for Percy to jump out and disappear."

Their efforts to find Percy were unsuccessful, and eventually the family left their details and bag of cat food at the pub, where staff put out food to tempt him back.

An online appeal was started, and local residents and cat rescue, Grinshill, pitched in to help, offering to search and set and monitor a trap for Percy.

Four weeks later, a Facebook post by a concerned Hadnall resident alerted Wendy and Grinshill to a sighting, and the rescue swung into action.

They set a trap where Percy had been seen sleeping, and a week later he was reunited with his sister and getting used to life in the countryside.

"Percy and Tiddles are settling in fine," Wendy said.

Percy has been on quite an adventure, and he's still got a lot of adjusting to do. He's come from a housing estate to the country and he's got to get used to the sound of my household and our animals.

"Tiddles face was a picture when she first saw a horse!"