LOST CAT: Black & white cat called Patch - Oxford area, Oxfordshire

Report received on the Animal Finders system.

Report tweeted on Twitter - www.twitter.com/animalfinders

Report approved by Administrator.

Report distributed to relevant organisations on the Official Alert Network for Oxford.

Report distributed to Local Pet Watch members within a 3 mile radius of last known location.

He's been seen 2 days ago on the Headley Way side of Bowness Avenue, so he's in the area somewhere.

A Sad Story and Cautionary Tale. We left Patch in the care of a neighbour while we were on holiday. A very friendly, but aged cat he liked company, and would often like to visit and befriend neighbours. While we were away, we believe that he must have tried to visit his favourite neighbours who were also on holiday. He then befriended someone on the next street who didn't know him, believing him to be a stray they contacted an animal shelter. The shelter collected him and took him to a vet who deciding that he was old and not in perfect health saw fit to put him down. He was a much loved and valued member of our family. If his senseless death serves any purpose I would like to take this ocassion to remind people that a roaming cat that seeks company may simply be lonely rather than abandoned. He was being cared for, was well fed, and had even left us a present of a pigeon for us to come home to. Handing the animal over to a needle happy rescue center may not be in the best interests of the animal. Hopefully services such as this can serve to reunite owners with their pets and prevent such needless deaths and upset.