A soggy moggy found in Tillicoultry had been on the run from her Fife owners for four years.
Bella the cat went missing from her Dunfermline home in 2017 and owner Joel Caldicott had told his young children the sad news that she was never coming back.
But the black furry feline was found, soaking wet and sheltering under a car, in Tillicoultry High Street by a member of the public on January 29.
And because she is microchipped, Bella has now been reunited with the Caldicotts, to the delight of their children.
Joel said: “Bella went missing on the day we returned home from a holiday in May 2017.
“We must have just missed her as our friend fed her that morning and we arrived home in the afternoon.
“Sadly, we didn’t see Bella again. We had to tell our sons, who were all under 10-years-old at the time, that Bella wasn’t coming back. That was very difficult for all of us.”
Joel was astonished when Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Kelly McGuire called him “out of the blue” to say Bella had been found.
“Our sons are just thrilled to have Bella back. Especially one of the boys as Bella has adopted his room as her own,” he said.
“She was a bit unsure for the first few days but now it’s like she’s never been away.
“We are really thankful to Kelly and the Scottish SPCA for bringing Bella back home, it’s like the happy ending of a Disney film.”
Kelly added: “Bella was found on Tillicoultry High Street soaking wet and sheltering under a car.
“The member of the public who found her took her home and called our helpline. When I collected Bella, she was quite thin but otherwise appeared to be in good health.
“Thankfully Bella was microchipped and the details were up-to-date so I contacted the number provided.
“I was absolutely shocked to hear she had been missing since 2017! How she travelled over 15 miles from Fife to Clackmannanshire is anyone’s guess.”
