WHEN Loretta Mineo spotted a cream coloured cat at the Canungra Tip, she knew it wasn’t feral.
The thin feline had classic Seal Point Siamese colouring but when she enquired about it she was told the cat was feral and had been living at the tip for over four years and could be aggressive towards people.
Concerned, Loretta posted a photo of the cat on one of the community Facebook pages, asking if anyone knew who owned it.
No one came forward, but several people offered to help save the cat, affectionately dubbed ‘Frank’, or ‘Frank the Feral Tip Cat’.
Loretta arranged with the local veterinary surgery to bring Frank in for a checkup when he was caught and Kylie Russell, who has worked to rehabilitate many feral cats, offered to provide him with a safe home.
After a couple of attempts, Jane Hampson managed to capture the cat.
“He was quiet cranky initially,” she said.
“Once we got him to the vet he must have felt safer because he actually seemed a lot happier and showed no signs of aggression.”
When the vet checked Frank’s microchip she discovered his name was Merlin and he is a 10 year old Seal Point Siamese.
The owners recorded on the microchip had rehomed him approximately seven years ago after moving away from the area.
They thought he was being cared for by his new owner, but had lost their contact details.
They were saddened and horrified to discover how their cat had been living and drove for hours to collect him from the vet and bring him to their home.
Loretta said she is relieved that Frank, aka Merlin, is in a safe, loving home and no longer scavenging amongst rubbish for food.
