Beans the cat, a sweet ginger and white boy from Cumbernauld, Scotland, somehow ended up over 300 miles away in England after one of his usual outdoor adventures. His owners, Cara and Colin McBurnie, were heartbroken when he didn’t come home at the end of October. They searched everywhere nearby, hoping to find him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Cara shared that Beans loves being outside and exploring gardens, and he always comes back for his meals. But this time, hours turned into days, and then weeks. She never gave up completely—joining local lost pet Facebook groups and checking every day—but in her heart, she feared the worst. “I didn’t expect to see him again,” she admitted. “I never thought to look in England!”
Meanwhile, Beans had made an unbelievable journey south to Coventry, in the West Midlands of England. There, a kind woman named Kelly Ryan noticed him hanging around her yard and outdoor cat box. When he kept coming back, she posted about him on Facebook. Cats Protection got involved, scanned him for a microchip, and just like that—his family was found!
Cara was in total shock when she got the call. She said, “I couldn’t believe he was still alive, let alone 300 miles away!” She and Colin drove a total of 600 miles to bring their beloved Beans home. As soon as they got him, Cara gave him a big cuddle in the car before heading back. “I’m so thankful we microchipped him and kept the info updated,” she said. “We never would’ve found him without it.”
No one knows how Beans managed to get so far, but one thing’s clear—microchips save families. Madison Rogers from Cats Protection said, “It’s amazing that just a day after scanning him, he was back with the people who love him.” Without a chip, Beans may never have made it home.
Stories like Beans’ touch hearts everywhere. They show how pets can get lost, but also how powerful it is to be prepared. If you’ve got a furry friend, please microchip them—and keep your info up to date. Because no matter how far they go, there’s always a chance they’ll come back home.