January 28, 2021 12.03 pm This story is over 38 months old

Family reunited with lost cat five months after it went missing

Batman is back home
Batman is back home safe and sound after five long months. | Photo: Taryn Burn
By Local Democracy Reporter

A mother of three from Horncastle has been reunited with her “best friend”, Batman the cat, after he went missing for five months.

Taryn Burn, 23, said Batman, 4, went missing in August but initially didn’t think much of it because he liked exploring the area.

After a couple of days there was still no sign of him, so Taryn started searching all the places Batman would normally go to, but had no luck.

There were a few false alarms along the way, including a possible sighting near an industrial estate in Horncastle.

Taryn borrowed a cat trap from cat protection for three months in the hope of finding Batman, but there was still no sign of him.

Batman is a much-loved part of the family. | Photo: Taryn Burn

With Christmas on the horizon, Taryn’s oldest child Bentley, 5, said that Santa knew where Batman was and would bring him home on Christmas Eve, but sadly as 2020 ended he still wasn’t home.

Taryn told The Lincolnite: “It was devastating knowing that there was a possibility of having to break my child’s heart.

“I spent many nights walking around the fields trying to find him, going backwards and forwards daily.”

He may not look it, but rest assured Batman is happy to be home. | Photo: Taryn Burn

She never gave up, and continued to post on community Facebook pages until she finally had the breakthrough she’d been waiting for.

On Wednesday, January 27, Taryn was made aware of a post online saying that a cat had been spotted, so within minutes she raced to the area and saw him there.

“He was sat on top of a shed, as we called his name he let out the biggest meow”, Taryn said.

Aaaaaaand relax. | Photo: Taryn Burn

“Honestly the amount of joy I felt, I just could not stop crying.

“This was the same place that I had checked weekly, so we must have missed each other each time for five months.”

Batman started life with his family in similar circumstances, as Taryn found him roaming the streets of Skegness alone at just four weeks old.

Taryn described Batman as her “best friend” and said his presence helped her though a difficult stage of her life.

Batman can get back to snuggling with Taryn’s daughter Brooke, 3. | Photo: Taryn Burn

“When my daughter was born, she was born poorly and spent eight and a half months in hospital in Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham before she came home.

“Batman was my rock, he was always there when I needed someone. For most people a cat is just a cat, but to me he’s my best friend.”