A beloved family pet is missing - and someone else is trying to claim ownership of the young moggy.

Charlotte Sawyer from Park North adopted little Oreo from the litter of a friend's cat in 2021 after her children saved up their pocket money to help pay for the kitten.

As the new addition to the family approached his first birthday, he began to spend longer and longer outdoors, returning after several days or weeks away.

Charlotte then heard about someone else bringing her cat to the vet and claiming Oreo was a stray.

The final straw came when she received letters notifying her that an unknown individual was trying to transfer her four-legged friend's microchip to a new keeper.

Charlotte said: "I can't believe the audacity of this person trying to steal our beautiful cat. I don't know who she is but I know that she lives in the the Nythe area.

"He's my cat and clearly not a stray, but every time I let him out, she feeds him and lets him into her house and tries to keep him, it's a constant battle. 

"You should not feed any animal that you don't know.

"A woman claiming to be someone who looks for missing cats once knocked on my door and handed me a form asking for permission to change Oreo's microchip.

"I wanted to rip it up, I was furious, and told her he was my cat. Now it's happened again. At least it's provided some reassurance that he's still alive.

"My kids miss him so much and cry because he's not here. They really wanted him, they love him and enjoy playing with him and looking after him.

"We are always looking for Oreo when we're outside. If we don't get him back soon, I'm reporting this to the police as a theft."

Oreo - a white domestic short breed named after the black circle in the fur on his head, which has faded to a dark grey over time - was last seen by his rightful owners four months ago.

Swindon Advertiser: Charlotte Sawyer's cat OreoCharlotte Sawyer's cat Oreo (Image: Charlotte Sawyer)

Eastcott Veterinary Hospital clinical director Stuart Davenport said: "Many cats are fed prescription diets [or] may be on a diet trial to assess whether they might be suffering from a skin or gut condition.

“For these reasons, as well as preventing cats from being coaxed from their owners, we discourage people from feeding any unfamiliar cat frequenting their property.

“If anyone is genuinely concerned about the welfare of a cat they encounter, the situation should be raised with the RSPCA."