'Wanderlust' cat safely brought home by police

Bex Hunt said she had given Pixie lots of attention and cuddles since her cat had got home

A missing 15-year-old cat consumed by "wanderlust" that likes to make a petrol station forecourt her second home has been returned to her owners after she was tracked down by police.

Bex Hunt, Pixie's owner, said the longhaired cat was taken from the Applegreen Garage in Buckinghamshire on 19 March after being mistaken for being homeless.

Officers from Thames Valley Police returned her on 10 April.

Miss Hunt, 30, said she was pleased the "very adventurous cat" was home and she had been "smothering her with smooches".

Pixie, a 15-year-old white longhaired cat, has a loving home in Aylesbury

Miss Hunt, from Aylesbury, said the "little old lady" family cat loved to explore and had made the petrol station her second home as she enjoyed getting fuss.

"She's got wanderlust. She's just very adventurous but is very street-smart. Someone has seen her wait at a zebra crossing to cross.

"People take her to the vets as they think she's homeless, as sometimes when she sleeps on the coal she gets very mucky."

Miss Hunt said it was the third time she had had to put up posters for people to look out for Pixie and it was the reason for creating the Pixie the Applegreen Garage Cat Facebook page, so everyone knows she has a loving home.

People now travel to refuel at the garage just to see her, Miss Hunt added.

Pixie likes to take a cat nap where she can

Miss Hunt said she thought Pixie was taken on 19 March by someone who wanted to give her a home, but they had not checked she was microchipped.

When she discovered there was garage CCTV footage of her being picked up, she contacted the police, who tracked the person down by their number plate, she added.

Pixie was eventually found and returned home by officers who were "really fantastic" on 10 April.

Cat on a (hot?) tin roof

Thames Valley Police said: "Following our investigation, a cat has been returned to its owner after being reported stolen in Aylesbury."

It said "someone had taken the cat in good faith as she was thought to be homeless" and "wilfully agreed to give the cat back, and we returned her to her rightful owner".