CAT owner Kate Williams had given up hope of ever seeing her long-lost ginger tom Terry after he vanished from her Ashburton home nearly a year ago.
But a chance social media perusal of an Animals in Distress video switched her sadness to sheer delight when she spotted Terry doing a turn for the popular charity.
She hot-footed it down to the Ipplepen rescue centre to claim the pet she thought had probably breathed his last many months before.
Thrilled-to-bits Kate said this week: ‘I couldn’t believe it. I never thought I’d ever see him again. I really thought that he was dead.’
It emerged that Terry – or Junior as the rescue team had named him – was taken to the centre as a limping stray.
The wandering moggy had been spotted hanging around the Lemonford camp for two months, prompting thoughts he may have been abandoned by holidaymakers.
His limp was a legacy of some accident which shattered his elbow and broke his leg which duly fused together for lack of treatment.
Staff took an instant liking to the warhorse who they found friendly ‘and quite a character.’
He duly featured in a video commemorating International Cat Day which lucky Kate happened to see on Facebook – and not long after they were back together again.
Kate revealed after the emotional reunion: ‘Terry is settling in really well. I still can’t believe he’s back.
‘There was never a day that I didn’t think of him. He is still a bit jumpy, and he looks slightly aged.
‘He has had a rough ride – but it’s definitely the same cat that would sit on my lap, nudge me for affection and give a little nip when he’d had enough! We are all absolutely over the moon to have him back.’
Kate and Terry’s get-together after more than 11 months apart can be seen on www.facebook.com/Animals InDistressIpplepen/videos/ 165168909486 3680/