A WOMAN who had her cat taken from Launceston twice — once to Newquay and then to Torquay — is asking people not to take cats they presume to be strays out of the area, and urging other owners to get their pets microchipped.

Tasha Wenden’s 16-year-old tabby cat, Bean, was first taken to Newquay by a family, who were in the Launceston area viewing a house several weeks ago.

Tasha made an appeal for her missing cat on Pirate FM, adding: “If it wasn’t for Pirate FM, I wouldn’t have got him back. The people who took him heard it on the radio.

“They said they had made a huge mistake — thought he was a stray, and brought him back.

“They were very apologetic. I’m not the sort of person to hold grudges. He was gone for three days. It was very distressing. Luckily one of my neighbours saw the car.”

She explained Bean has a tendency to follow people around and pine for attention, and he didn’t have a collar at the time.

Then around a month ago Bean was taken again, this time to Torquay by tradesmen who had been in the area for a few days, fitting carpets. Tasha said Bean ‘had taken a shine to them’, adding: “They thought he was a stray and took him.” This time Tasha had to drive to Torquay to get Bean back, but said the men gave her fuel money.

She said: “He’s a good looking cat but he’s quite thin and craves attention. He’s 16 but he doesn’t look old. His teeth are really good and he’s in good condition.”

Tasha has since bought Bean a collar with her contact details, and had him microchipped, adding when speaking to the Post recently: “Last weekend I had somebody phone me saying we have got your cat!

“I’m very lucky to have him back. He was a bit confused and stressed when it first happened, how he’s just settled back to his old self. He likes to be outside and I don’t want to deprive him of that.

“I want people to realise, don’t take a cat out of the area, and it’s so cheap to get a cat microchipped. My lesson learned is I should have got him microchipped the first time.”