Pudsey family reunited with rare stolen cat after 'three weeks of hell'
and live on Freeview channel 276
Blossom, an 18-month old Chinchilla Persian, was taken from the family home during a school run on March 4, along with all of her toys.
Jade Grainger and her ten-year-old son were devastated after the break-in, which they believe was targeted due to Blossom's breed.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA cat that was a "very good match" went up for sale twice on Preloved, a free advertising website for second-hand goods, asking for £550 and later £800.
Jade said: “It was three weeks of pure worry and hell. I’d go all day without eating because I was out every minute I had free.
"I’d printed off hundreds of posters, laminated them, walked around the streets when it was dark and raining with torches calling Blossom."
It was the community of Facebook groups that made Blossom "too hot to handle", with one group appealing to nearly ninety thousand members to help find the Grainger family’s beloved cat.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAfter 20 days of stress and worry, Jade was called by a Vets For Pets in Bradford, where Blossom had anonymously been handed in.
Paula Muir, administrator of the Angel Amber Leading Them Home Facebook group, which helped raise awareness of the stolen pet, said she “knew straight away this was Jade's cat due to all the publicity she had and the posters she had put out."
Blossom was not in the best shape when returned to her owners, but Jade said it was "amazing" and "incredible" to have her back home.
She added: “She was really scared and timid when I first picked her up, and she was really underweight.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"She had patches of hair missing behind her ears from being stressed, they’d shaved her chest hair so that it doesn’t look like her.
"She couldn’t walk properly. She’s not been looked after at all.”
Jade later captured the moment her son was reunited with Blossom on video.
She said: “He cried his eyes out for half an hour, he was shaking, but he was obviously really, really happy to see her”.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdPaula, who has been working to rehome lost or stolen pets for 20 years, urged those who find missing pets to “please drop them off to vets and do not dump animals - if you find you have come across a stolen pet and are scared, we are not going to point fingers.
"You are fully protected with 100 per cent anonymity from the vets”.
Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United, With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.