His beloved 3-year-old cat went missing in 2009 with no leads. Then 16 years later, he got a call from a vet

Carl Pullen often strolled in his garden with Sunshine, a Bengal cat, whom he loved deeply. Like any human-cat relationship, Sunshine occupied a significant portion of Pullen’s mind — from routine tasks to moments of melancholy, Sunshine was his forever partner. So, when she stopped responding one day, Pullen was thrown into limbo. In 2009, at only 3 years of age, Sunshine vanished from her owner’s home in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Armed with ‘missing’ posters, he did everything a cat parent could. From contacting local shelters and vet clinics to microchipping the cat, Pullen did it all — however, Sunshine didn’t return.

As is common with rare species, Pullen presumed Sunshine stolen. A domestic cat breed, Sunshine was a hybrid of the Asian leopard cat and domestic cats; her wild appearance and affectionate nature made her a prized treasure for onlookers. After several weeks of silence, Pullen resigned to the notion of Sunshine being sold across borders for thousands of dollars.

Microchipping pets — that is, when a microchip is injected under the loose skin between the animal’s shoulder blades — is a common safety step undertaken by most owners, just like Pullen. There’s a catch, though! It only works if the chip is scanned and is able to transmit the ID number. With Sunshine having been apparently stolen, Pullen waited for the calls to come, for some vet to realize that the cat was lost, but none came.

The year following Sunshine’s disappearance, Pullen could no longer bear to live in that house filled with her memories, so he moved to his home in Hertfordshire. This transpired in 2010, and Sunshine’s disappearance had become a distant ache in the hearts of all those who knew her. Suddenly, in March 2025, Pullen received a call from a veterinary surgeon who claimed to be holding Sunshine — a cat handed in as a stray.

“I was so surprised,” Pullen told the BBC. “I was overwhelmed really, as I didn’t expect to see her again, especially after all this time... It was completely out of the blue." Pullen could not quite fathom this discovery — the cat returning to him after 16 whole years! When he went to pick her up, he noticed her thin frame and unclipped claws and was even told that her kidneys were damaged. With no clue regarding her whereabouts over 16 years, it could be assumed that she had undergone some rough times — even though it was initially deemed unlikely that such an expensive cat would be left as a stray. 

Pullen’s family realized that at 19 years of age—92 in cat years—Sunshine probably wasn’t long for the world, so they vowed to live their days celebrating this impossible reunion. With consistent medication, Sunshine also grew closer to her old, cheery, adventurous self, gallivanting around the Pullens’ property, enjoying a rather nice retirement. The family has gone out of its way to make her transition as smooth as possible, showering her with affection, giving her treats, and ensuring that her last days are spent in undiluted joy.