Reunited – and it feels so good!

By Francis Kennedy

He’s the cat who got the cream – George, the big, ginger, male cat abandoned in Australia, homed with a Galway ex-pat…and, now after a drama that might be straight from Hollywood, making a new life for himself on this side of the world.

George was homed from the RSPCA in Australia by rugby fan, Fiona Moylan in Canberra, Australia, eleven years ago; he was named after the captain of the Australian Rugby Union team, George Gregan.

Little did Fiona realise that fate had many twists and turns in store for both herself and George in the decade that followed.

Early in 2016, Fiona’s health gave cause for concern and on the advice of friends, she decided to come home to Ireland for necessary treatment. Her intention was to return to Australia and her job when her health improved.

So she left George in the care of a close friend who offered to look after the cat until Fiona returned.

The intentions were admirable but what unfolded was anything but.

While convalescing in Galway, Fiona received a Facebook message from a Jacqui Ferguson, a veterinary nurse in Enfield Veterinary Hospital, New South Wales saying “Hello, do you have a ginger cat? If so, he is here at the clinic. Could you please come and collect him?”

Fiona was speechless. She had no idea how this could have happened. She requested a photograph, this was sent and yes, it was indeed her George.

She was informed that a member of the public had found George on the roadside, 30 kilometres from Fiona’s friend’s home.

Luckily, he had been micro-chipped and his owner was identified, but it wasn’t as simple as calling over to collect him!

What had actually happened was that her friend had moved house, didn’t inform her and had left the unfortunate animal to fend for himself on the roadside.

An emotional Fiona did not know what to do; she confided in two friends, Sara Daly from Abbeyknockmoy and Cait Commins from Athenry.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.