When he was brought to the shelter by the association Les Miaous de Berriac, this weary old cat was in a sorry state.
Scruffy coat, tired demeanour, dull eyes: at 16 years old, the cat seemed to carry the weight of a long period on the streets. Had he been turned out as the holidays approached? Was he one of those many elderly cats who'd become inconvenient and been cruelly left behind?
His microchip revealed the truth
The team at SPA de Carcassonne chose not to jump to conclusions: as with every cat found, they ran the microchip scanner, hoping for that life-changing beep. And this time, it sounded!
The old tom's identification revealed an entirely different story: the cat was called Léo, and he'd been registered as missing for over a year on the national I-CAD database. His owner, contacted by phone, couldn't hold back her tears. She'd given up all hope of finding him.
Happy reunion
Thanks to his microchip, the reunion was possible, and Léo was able to return home after a year of wandering. He can now grow old surrounded by love and safety. At the SPA, this sort of story is all too rare: most cats that arrive are neither microchipped nor being looked for.
Léo's story reminds us just how vital identification is: it's not only legally required, but it can change a life in seconds.
