A cat that went missing during a holiday in the Lake District has been reunited with his owners after two years apart.
Babes, a six-year-old cat, was found living in an allotment in Kendal, around six miles away from where he first disappeared. A local resident, concerned for the lost cat, spotted him and shared a photo on social media in hopes of reconnecting Babes with his owners before the cold winter set in.
Gael O’Brien, Babes’ owner from Wigan, was overwhelmed with shock when she saw the photo of her long-lost pet. Gael had been staying at Windermere’s Kotel when Babes slipped his harness during a walk on November 14, 2022, leading to his disappearance.
For weeks, searches were conducted to find Babes, and a dedicated Facebook group was created to share sightings and gather support. The group attracted over 900 members who all pitched in to help search for him. Despite the time that passed, Gael never gave up hope.
Gael shared her emotional reaction on social media: “The second I looked at the photo, I knew 100% that I was looking at my boy Babes. There was no doubt in my mind. I had studied every marking on his body for two years, ruling out other possible sightings. I knew this was him. The photo I had spent 103 weeks praying for— I finally got it.”
Gael’s joy was immediate. “I instantly burst into tears, was shaking, and rang the number that had sent me the photo,” she said.
Determined to bring Babes home, Gael drove the 80 miles to Kendal with six tins of sardines, a trap, and a torch. After several attempts to rescue the frightened cat, she realized she needed additional help. That’s when Doncaster’s Trapping Lost Cats team, who had previously assisted with the search in December 2022, stepped in.
The charity, which also helped Gael and her partner adopt their second cat, Precious, drove three hours from Doncaster to assist in Babes’ rescue. They quickly captured Babes after a short time, much to Gael’s delight.
“When I got back to Kendal, Babes was inside the trap in Joanne Davies’ car from TLC. We were all elated—crying, laughing, and in disbelief. It was like, what just happened?” Gael recalled. “Traveling back with Babes was like traveling with a newborn baby in the car. I couldn’t have been happier.”
Now safely back home, Babes is adjusting to life with his new sibling, Precious. Gael reports that he is eating and drinking well, taking time to decompress in his own space.
“Two years of hell has all been worth it to finally have Babes home,” Gael said. “Exactly 103 weeks since he escaped his harness in Windermere, my heart has finally healed.”
Gael also expressed deep gratitude for the online community that helped keep Babes’ name in circulation. “I couldn’t have kept Babes’ name out there without the help of the Facebook group and its followers,” she said. “Total strangers rooted for us, shared posts, commented, and sent me messages about other stray cats that might have been Babes. I’m so truly grateful to everyone who helped.”
Gael also shared that she plans to keep the Facebook group active to continue sharing updates about Babes’ new life. She added: “It doesn’t bear thinking about what he’s been through in the last 103 weeks, and I’ll carry that guilt with me forever. Thank you to everyone who helped— you brought my boy Babes back home where he belongs.”
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