A LUCKY coincidence saw a treasured pet reunited with its worried owners after it was mistaken for a stray.

Fred Dubber, of Colwall, was frantic with worry when his 12-year-old cat Sid did not return home one evening for his supper – something he says is almost unheard of.

When there was still no sign of Sid after a sleepless night he started to fear the worst. However, just as Mr Dubber was starting to give up hope he received a call from White House Vets in Newtown Road, Malvern.

Sid had been to the vet just the day before for an injection and the receptionist, thinking she recognised him, called Mr Dubber to check that he was not missing.

While Mr Dubber was delighted to discover that Sid was safe, he was “dumbfounded” as to how he could have ended up at the vets, which is five miles away from his home.

He later discovered that a carer from Malvern-based Beavers Care Agency, who was visiting a client in his road, had mistaken Sid for a stray before taking him home for the night and then taking him to the vet.

But although pet and owner were reunited, Mr Dubber said Sid would not have been so lucky had he not been taken to a vet where he was recognised.

He said. “I don’t know the odds, but I reckon Sid must have used up one of his nine lives in this encounter. I can just imagine the local animal rescue centres being full and the vet having no other option but to euthanase an old cat that probably no one would want.”

Penny Hunt, care manager at Beavers Care Agency, said: “We are very sorry if we upset the people who owned the cat, but the young lady in question thought that she was acting in good faith and in the animal’s best interest.”