A woman from Ruislip has praised the efforts of two teens who helped find her beloved cat Sam who had been missing for more than a month.
Despite putting up posters Susan Midgley said she had given up all hope of finding the five-year-old feline after he went missing from their west London home on April 24.
But after reporting her pet missing to Animal Search UK, Mrs Midgley had a phone call to say Sam had been spotted just across the street by two boys.
Mrs Midgley, 73, said: "I was amazed and delighted. After five weeks we had really given up hope.
“Those boys could have just not bothered. They had taken the trouble to phone Animal Care.”
Harry Etty from Ruislip and Greg Dando from Eastcote , both year eight students at Haydon School in Pinner , were walking out of a shop in Howletts Lane, Ruislip on June 4 when they spotted Sam.
The duo then contacted Animal Search and the company called Mrs Midgley, who lives Howletts Lane, to let her know about the sighting.
Mrs Midgley and husband Terry, 65, then set about searching near the shop with a cat box when they finally managed to track down their malnourished but otherwise healthy pet.
Retired teacher Mrs Midgley added: “We took him straight away to the vet. He was fine but he had lost half his body weight. We're really pleased to have him back.”
Sam's brother Charlie, both of whom were rescued by the RSPCA at 6 months old, had not been the same after his sibling took flight, Mrs Midgley said.
She added: “His brother was very upset he was gone. He's not too happy now though because he was getting all the attention.”
Mr and Mrs Midgley had offered a £100 reward for Sam's safe return and Mrs Midgley said the youngsters were delighted to receive £50 each for their search efforts.
After being delighted by the quick thinking of the two teens, Mrs Midgley contacted their school to praise their help in rescuing Sam.
Headteacher at Haydon School, Robert Jones, said: “It is always very pleasing when we receive positive news about the conduct of our students, especially when they have exhibited the Haydon Values of Community and Respect.
“I am very proud of the boys and they are an asset to the school.
Mr Jones added: “I do often hear positive comments about the conduct or achievement of our students in the local community.”
Mrs Midgley added that they were not sure why Sam had decided to take off, but that she and her husband had taken to locking the cat flap at night as a precaution.
In other missing cat news, one lucky Feltham feline was found 150-miles away from home after going missing.
