Casper the cat has been reunited with his owner thanks to his microchip, after being found 55 miles from home three years after he went missing.

Lucky cat Casper is finally back at home after three years, all thanks to his microchip.

The five-year-old moggy arrived at Cats Protection’s Cornwall Adoption Centre when a person who had been feeding him in Truro became ill and unable to care for him.

Cute Casper is finally back home. Credit: Anna Day

Casper was taken to the centre where he received a health-check which included being scanned for a microchip. The centre team were surprised to find that it showed him registered to an address in Plymouth, 55 miles away. 

Upon contacting the registered owner, Anna Day, it was discovered that Casper had gone missing for a few weeks at a time during 2017, always returning home, until one day he did not come back and had not been seen since.

After receiving the call, Anna and her partner Paul made the 110-mile round-trip from Plymouth to the centre in Truro, to collect their beloved cat that same day.

Anna, Daniel and Casper reunited. Credit: Anna Day

Anna says: “It was such an unexpected surprise to hear that not only had he been found but that he was alive and we could collect him and bring him home. We have no idea how he came to be in Truro but he’s always been a friendly laid back cat who explores and roams, loving to make friends with people.

“Before he went missing he was very much loved by the local community and well known for his trips to the local school and for sitting outside the church asking to be stroked as people walked inside. I was heartbroken when he didn’t come back. I certainly didn’t expect to see him again but I’m so glad that not only did we have him microchipped but that we kept our details up to date. 

Casper doing what cats do best. Credit: Anna Day

“Casper has settled right back in and seemed to remember us straight away. Since he’s been home he has gone straight back to his favourite spots and even remembers our other cats. He knows Willow does not play with him but that Elvis is still his best mate. When we brought him home they ran up to each other, touched noses and it’s as if he’s never been away. Casper even likes our new dog!”

Libby Jepson, Centre Manager, said: “Casper’s story really highlights the importance of microchipping and as a charity we are actively campaigning to make microchipping for owned cats across the UK compulsory, as it is for dogs, to help reunite more cats with their owners. Without his microchip we would have had to rely on our detective skills to find out whether Casper had been previously owned but with the chip we were able to call Anna on the day he arrived in care."

We’re delighted that microchipping will become compulsory in England from June 2024, and we continue to campaign for similar laws to be introduced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Find out more about our microchipping campaign. 

Casper’s story was turned into a heartwarming Christmas film by Cats Protection. The film was created by award-winning studio Aardman Animations, the team who brought your Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run and features the voice of TV presenter Holly Willoughby as Casper’s owner Anna. Watch Casper's Magical Journey below and discover how the film was made.  

A remarkable update on Casper 

Three years after Casper was reunited with his family, we caught up with his owner Anna to see how he is getting on and she revealed a remarkable story about caring Casper's antics. 

“It was not long after we were reunited that we moved house," said Anna. "Casper settled in and was obviously a terror as he wanted to go out to explore but we kept him in and tried to explain to him! Four weeks went quite quickly and he was off out before he knew it.

Casper soaking up the sun. Credit: Anna Day

“Fast forward six months and Casper knew the area and, more importantly, the neighbours rather well. He seemed to visit many of the elderly locals. Eventually he started to not come home again and panic ensued obviously! I put a paper collar on Casper with a note attached to explain that he has a home and is loved. I had a few calls from local residents to say how much they loved seeing Casper and that he would visit them but never stay. Until one day, I received a call from a gentleman to say Casper would visit and enter their house. His wife had fallen in love with him and was feeding him. Oh no, here we go again!

“I did ask that they refrain from letting him in and also from feeding the greedy pants. He said he would try to stop his wife. Then all went silent and Casper came home less and less. We did not know the exact house that he was visiting. Even after following Casper we could not figure it out as he would take shortcuts through the gardens. Nightmare!

Casper showing off his toe beans. Credit: Anna Day

“At about the eight-week point and after paper collaring Casper more times on the odd occasion that he did come home, the gentleman called me again. This phone call changed everything. He explained to me that his wife was very elderly and dying. She was in her bed all day, every day and Casper would just sit at their back door until he was let in and would then lay on her bed with her which provided her much comfort. He expressed his sincere apologies at taking our cat but said he could not break his wife’s heart at this point with mere weeks to live. Well, what do you say? I felt very proud of Casper and informed the gentleman that this was ok for now.

“A week went by and I received another call, his wife had sadly passed away the day before. The problem being, he didn’t want a full-time cat! So now we had to encourage Casper to come home again. I told him to just be firm and if he stopped letting him in and feeding him that Casper would come home. Sure enough that evening he came home and we made a huge fuss of our caring, white chap. He ventured back a few times but as he was not let in he realised he would have to stay at his own home from now on. This was 18 months ago and Casper has not left us since. His friend Willow, another of our family cats, sadly passed this year unexpectedly of cancer and since then Casper has become very close to me. I think he realised I missed Willow and so he took up her spot next to me almost every day and night. 

“He is such a loving and clearly very caring little chap and we love him dearly. I am so proud of him for all his help with the elderly lady, for being the inspiration for Casper’s Magical Journey and for helping to make microchipping compulsory in England.”