Beloved ‘shop cat’ found 13 years after vanishing without a trace — but microchip scan revealed devastating truth about her owner

Years after vanishing, a beloved cat reappears, carrying a secret that links strangers across miles.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

(L) A cat sitting in a book shop. (R) A woman with a black cat. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Catherine Falls Commercial, (R) OR Images)

Every so often, a story comes along that surprises everyone and pulls at the heartstrings. One such tale involves a beloved ‘shop cat’ from Essex who vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions. As reported by the BBC, a microchip scan recently uncovered not just the cat’s identity but also a heartbreaking truth about her original owner. What followed was a series of unexpected turns that brought a small community together.

A woman hugging a black cat. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Westend 61) — A woman hugging a black cat. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend 61)

Tilly, the black cat, was once a local favourite at a pet shop on Great Dunmow High Street, where she charmed customers and kept an eye out for mice. In 2012, she suddenly disappeared, and her owner, Mr. M. Horton, reported her missing. For years, no one knew what had happened. That changed when Jessica Davies, living 30 miles away in Brentwood, noticed a scruffy black cat lingering near her garden and local stables. “I had seen this cat near some stables for quite a while and thought it must live nearby,” she shared with the news channel.

A black cat wandering the streets. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | fitopardo)

Eventually, the cat wandered into Jessica’s summer house. Thinking it was a male stray, the family began feeding it and named it Bobby. After a few weeks, Jessica contacted her friend Diane Evans from Meows Kitten & Cat Rescue, an Essex-based charity, who sent her a microchip scanner. That scan revealed the truth. The cat was Tilly, and registered to Mr. Horton. But when they tried to contact him, the number was no longer valid, and they ultimately learned he had sadly passed away. Diane posted an update on Facebook on August 27, 2025, and the community quickly helped confirm the cat’s past.

A cat sitting (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Christina & Peter) — A cat sitting in a garden. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Christina & Peter)

“We think perhaps she got in a delivery van at the shop and ended up miles from home,” Jessica said. One former shop worker, Jo Rosewell, was overjoyed at the news. “I remember Tilly being super-crazy, but she would sit on everyone's laps and shoulders - such a lovely cat,” she recalled. She further mentioned that after numerous months had passed and Tilly remained missing, they eventually gave up the search, "We just assumed we'd never know what happened." With no one from Mr. Horton’s family able to take her, Jessica officially adopted 15-year-old Tilly. “She really is such a sweet cat, and it’s such an amazing, bonkers story,” she said. "She's staying with us now—I think Tilly took to us and thought 'You're mine, now.'"

A woman sitting on the sofa with her pet cat (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Helena Lopes) — A woman sitting on the sofa with her pet cat. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Helena Lopes)

Tilly's story is one of many, with countless felines going missing each year. In another surprising incident, a one-eyed rescue cat named Bo went missing in Los Angeles just as his family was moving to Boston. Months later, a woman in a nearby sublet spotted a flyer and realized the cat outside matched it. After confirming it was Bo, the family flew back, teamed up with rescuers, and, after four months apart, finally coaxed the skittish, street-hardened Bo into a carrier and brought him home.