The cat, called Doja, escaped just as Mark Hulsmeier was loading the car ready to relocate from Clapham, South London, to his new home 290 miles away in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
A two-hour search for Doja proved fruitless, leaving a heartbroken Mark to set off for the north east without his precious pet and wondering if she would ever return.
Mark said: “Instead of a happy moving day, it turned into a heartbreaking one but, despite the sadness, I never gave up hope.
“Friends reassured me with stories of lost cats returning after months and I wished every day for a phone call saying Doja had been found.
“Then, one Saturday morning, seven weeks after she went missing, I woke up to a phone call from Maven Veterinary Care in Sutton who had Doja and said she was safe and healthy.
“I was in complete shock. She had gone missing in Clapham yet somehow made it all the way to Sutton. It was a miracle she had survived and travelled that far on her own!”
Quick-thinking staff at Maven in North Cheam, which is owned by Linnaeus, had used details on Dojo’s microchip to contact Mark and let me know the good news his beloved pet was safe.
Maven’s patient care assistant Nell Worsley explained: “Doja was found by a man who had noticed her frequently lingering in his garden and he brought her to us to check if she was microchipped.
"We scanned her and her microchip details helped us to find her owner Mark, who was over the moon when we called to say she had been found.
“Doja spent a weekend with us at Maven and was then transported up to Newcastle and is very happy to be back with her dad again after almost two months apart.”
Mark added: “Doja’s journey was an emotional rollercoaster but we are beyond grateful she is finally home, safe and happy.
“A huge thank-you to Maven Veterinary Care. They are an outstanding veterinary service and we are so thankful for everything they did to bring Doja home.
“They were absolutely fantastic, keeping her safe, checking her over and keeping us updated throughout the process. I can’t thank them enough for their incredible care and support and a huge thank you to Becky who took photos for me!
“The moment I got Maven’s call, I immediately contacted a pet transport service, who confirmed they could bring Doja home within three days.
“That wait felt endless but finally, the moment arrived and we were reunited.
“I expected Doja to be nervous in a new environment after being on her own for so long, but the second she saw us, she instantly remembered us and was back to her affectionate, playful self.
“To celebrate, we spoiled her with new toys, treats and all the love in the world. She’s thriving in her new home, soaking up lots of attention as she’s had plenty of visitors, which she absolutely adores. She’s always been a very social cat!”
Maven’s Nell said Doja’s experience underlined the importance of cat owners complying with the law and ensuring their pet is microchipped.
She added: “This heartwarming reunion between Mark and Doja really shows the importance of having your pet microchipped.
“It’s now the law in England that your cat must be microchipped and registered by the time they’re 20 weeks old, so we would urge all cat owners to do so as it really could provide a happy ending should their pet go off on an unexpected adventure.”
For more information on Maven Veterinary Care and their comprehensive services for pets in the Sutton area, visit https://www.mavenvets.co.uk/.