New appeal for sightings of missing cat Nevis

A new appeal has been issued for sightings of the last of five cats which went missing from a street in Helensburgh this summer.

The Scottish SPCA said it was ‘very concerning’ that the cats had been taken from part of Dennistoun Crescent, with four of them found in rural locations up to 20 miles away.

But Nevis is still missing, with no positive sightings after nearly eight weeks.

His owners Fiona and Joe Palmer, and their children Matthew, 15, and Liam, 18, as well as Marley their dog, still miss Nevis and have asked again if anyone has seen him.

Fiona said: “People have been fantastic and I have been contacted on several occasions, some with photos of cats who they think could be Nevis but they have turned out not be him.

“We are so grateful for people keeping a look out for him – it’s so heart-warming to us that they care about him.

“Our dog Marley really misses him too, he looks for him each time the cat flap makes a noise.”

Nevis is chipped and anyone with information is asked to call 0782 4833504 or 0770 3801730.

Four other cats which disappeared from Dennistoun Crescent this summer have been reunited with their owners:

• Patch was taken in and cared for by a kind-hearted family in the Arrochar area, who contacted his family after seeing news of the disappearances.
• Jax had to fend for himself for about six weeks in the Arrochar area and was in a poor condition when he was reunited with owners Diane and Nigel on July 22 via the Scottish SPCA’s animal rehoming centre at Milton near Dumbarton.
• Nero was found in Balmaha on the eastern shores of Loch Lomond, 20 miles from Helensburgh, and he made it home to Sara and Colin Rettie on August 7, more than a month after going missing.
• Flash was found earlier near the Cross Keys roundabout.

It is not known whether the cats had been taken somewhere and kept together for a while, or whether they were dumped at various locations on different days.

The Scottish SPCA says the disappearances are ‘very concerning’, with chief superintendent Mike Flynn adding: “Due to the unlikelihood this is a coincidence, we have reason to believe that someone is deliberately transporting cats for malicious reasons.

“We would ask those in Helensburgh and the surrounding areas to be vigilant.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the charity’s confidential helpline – 03000 999 999.