'Never give up' - Warsop kittens reunited with their owner eight months after going missing

50-year-old Donna Lidgett was devastated when her two 12-week-old kittens Tom and Mango went missing from her small holding in Warsop at the beginning of June 2021.

The kittens were believed to have been stolen from her barn so Donna frantically posted a plea for their return on social media, which caught the eye of Lisa Dean at Beauty’s Legacy – who launched an immediate campaign for their safe return.

There were no sightings of the pair locally, until Tom reappeared suddenly, alone, in December, and it was hoped that Mango would soon follow.

Lisa explains: “When Tom reappeared, we hoped Mango would follow, but he didn’t.

“Unfortunately, the barn was then broken into again, and Tom was taken a second time in January, which was captured on a wildlife camera.

"As the police said it was only a civil matter, we released the news to the public that the theft had been caught on camera, and we began receiving notifications of sightings of them both a few days later.”

The campaign then moved to a rescue operation, with Beauty’s Legacy enlisting the help of Mansfield Cat Watch who loaned them a trap to aid the rescue.

Tom was recovered quickly and Mango, who was much more timid, was eventually retrieved on January 29 and the pair were reunited with their grateful owner Donna.

"Lisa was an absolute diamond, she never gave up,” Donna said.

"Even when the trail went cold as months passed, she was still following up on information, making posters and posting online.

"It’s been a tough eight months but I’m so relieved they are back home, safe and well.”

Lisa added: "We are so sad that she has missed so much precious kitten time, but we urge people to never give up, and would also ask people not to feed or take in cats that belong to others.

"If you have a cat visiting, contact us at Beauty’s Legacy and we will attend and scan/trap to see if there is a worried owner out there looking for them.”

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