By Alexander Lawrie
A MISCHEVIOUS tabby has been dubbed “the unluckiest cat in the world” after a cat-alogue of mishaps – including coming back from the dead.
Ten year-old Spud has been granted a premature funeral after being wrongly identified as roadkill, endured a catnapping when someone mistakenly believed he was theirs and was stuck for hours after plummeting 20 ft down into a cold, dark basement.
The mischievous puss is now feline a lot better after his owner decided to keep him home after his latest adventure.
Kevin Stickings, 39, from Dunfermline, Fife, is convinced his moggy has used up almost all of his nine lives because he is so inquisitive.
He said: “Poor Spud must be the unluckiest cat in the world. The amount of trauma he has gone through in the past few years has been unbelievable.
“He can’t help himself – when he sees something he’s interested in he just goes for it.”
Three years ago Spud disappeared for four days and the distraught family eventually started ringing round local vets fearing the worst.
One vet said they had just had a dead cat handed in which matched Spud’s description.
Kevin said: “We went along to identify him and really thought it was Spud, the cat was so like him. So, I paid the £50 to have him cremated and then went home to tell my wee boy the bad news.
“Incredibly, two days later I opened the back door and there he was proud as punch – I just couldn’t believe it.”
And last year unlucky Spud was cat-napped by a woman who mistook him for her own and drove him to her house ten miles away.
The dad-of-two said: “We couldn’t believe it when he went AWOL for days again and we all thought he was gone for good this time. It was days before we heard where he had got to.
“Incredibly, a lady had spotted him in the street and thought he was hers – he was the spitting image seemingly.
“She lives ten miles away and as soon as she opened the car door outside her house he just bolted.
“Luckily some friends in the area spotted him a few days later and we managed to get him back.
“Although, now I’m not sure if he’s got many of his nine lives left.”
And just last week, the ten-year-old puss was at it again after being left helpless for hours after plummeting 20 feet down into a dark, damp basement.
Luckily a passing shop worker heard his pitiful cries and raised the alarm.
The Scottish SPCA managed to rescue Spud before taking him back to their nearby headquarters.
Kieran Smart, a Scottish SPCA driver, said: “I received a call from Kevin and asked him to identify the cat. He was able to describe his appearance as well as some distinguishing marks including a scar on his chin and a kink in the tip of his tail.
“I’m just glad we are able to reunite this very lucky cat with his owner.”
