Image: Jessica and George reunited at last.
"Best birthday present ever!" says owner, reunited after 2.5 years apart
Primary school teacher Jessica had an extra special show-and-tell for her Year 2 students this week, a PowerPoint presentation telling the incredible story of her much-loved cat George.
"I showed them photos of what George looks like and some pictures of us being reunited," Jessica said.
"They had lots of questions and ideas about where he might have gone, and we spoke about how two years ago is a long time and how they would have only been in reception."
Jessica adopted George and one of his sisters, Dusky four years ago, after hearing about a litter of kittens needing homes. At the time Jessica was living in her family's home at Evanston Gardens, but in 2022 she and her partner moved into a new home that they had bought at Davoren Park.
By this time the couple had also acquired a German Shepherd puppy named Rex, and Jessica decided to take George with her because he got along well with the latest four-legged family member.
"George was helping to keep Rex in line," Jessica said.
However, they had only been at their new home for about a week when George went missing.
"I'd been taking him outside wearing a harness and a leash to help him get used to his new surroundings.
"I'd brought him back inside and taken his leash off but not his harness, and then I had to go out briefly and while I was out, one of our housemates accidentally left the laundry door open and George ran off still wearing his harness."
Despite putting up posters around the neighbourhood, adverts on Facebook and Lost Pets of SA and contacting rescue organisations, George was nowhere to be found.
"He was very skittish around strangers so I knew he wouldn't come up to anyone who called out to him," Jessica said.
"I looked for months and I always held out a little hope, but in the end I gave up on ever seeing him again."
Fast forward two and a half years, and on Friday 19 July RSPCA SA received a report about a cat lingering around a workplace 10km away in Edinburgh with a strap hanging down from its neck.
"This cat had been living in drainpipes near my work for years and we'd been putting food out for it occasionally," reporter Courtney said.
"Then on Friday we noticed what looked like a piece of rope around its neck and hanging down its front legs, and that's when I decided to call the RSPCA.
"I now know that the rope was the body band of the harness this cat was wearing when he ran off - it must have been hidden under his fur and had finally snapped, because this was the first time we noticed it."
Finding George was one thing but catching him was another. RSPCA SA rescue officers provided Courtney with a cat trap and instructed her on its use, and she regularly checked the trap over the weekend. On Monday, George had been caught - only to be accidentally released by a well-meaning staff member who thought the cat had been trapped without food all weekend and opened the cage to feed him.
"There were some tears out the back that day," Courtney said.
Luckily George is not a quick learner, the trap was reset and five days later (last Friday) he was once again inside the trap. Back at RSPCA's animal care centre at O'Halloran Hill, a quick scan revealed the precious microchip that would lead to a heartwarming reunion.
"When I got the call, I said 'no way!'", said Jessica.
"It's my birthday next Tuesday, and having George back has to be about the best present I've ever had."
