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Cat Missing For 13 Years Returns Home To Owner In Order To Die

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A cat went missing for the past 13 years, only to turn up when it was on its final legs and close to death. Vet nurse Jade Yhnell was shocked to find her cat Minx after it went missing in 2012.

The cat disappeared as the couple prepared to move from England to Wales. Despite searching, they couldn't find Minx.

"We searched for her, but she was gone," Yhnell told local publication, the Western Telegraph.

Fast forward to 2025, and Minx turned up at Fishguard Veterinary Services in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The microchip confirmed the cat was indeed her former pet. "We read the chip as you do, and it came up as that," veterinarian Andrew Clements told the outlet. "The owner was a vet's nurse at a practice, and the cat had been missing for years and years."

Cat Goes Missing For 13 Years

Yhnell said that she was overwhelmed to discover her cat was still alive. "I was overwhelmed, I was speechless," she recalled. "I couldn't stop shaking, I said to my husband, 'They've found Minx.' He was quite shocked."
They made the trip to go rescue the animal. "She was in a really bad way, but she recognised me immediately. She was headbutting me and purring," Yhnell remembered. "I was a mess, as you can imagine. She was exactly the same with my husband. She was so excited to see him."
Sadly, it became apparent that Minx had an aggressive form of cancer. The cat passed away shortly after returning to her owner.

"She was purring right to the last breath. She was such a wonderful cat," Yhnell said. "I have nothing but gratitude that we had her back. I feel she came back to us for a reason, so that we could look after her in her final days. She knew how loved she was. She got to meet our babies, and they absolutely adored her."

Fishguard Veterinary Services shared the tale on Facebook, writing, "We just had to share this incredible story... If this isn't a reminder to microchip your pets (and keep your details up to date), we don't know what is!"