A worried pet owner whose cat has been missing for over a month fears thieves could be deliberately targeting animals in the Chester area.

Lisa Banks says it’s extremely unusual for her three-year-old tomcat Clint to spend any time outside his home in Linden Grove, Hoole, but the ginger and white moggy hasn’t been seen since September 2 when he went out at 4am.

After reading in The Chronicle about a similar family’s plea to find their missing cat who disappeared from Oakmere just one day before Clint, Lisa is concerned cats are being deliberately stolen by people ‘driving around looking for them to pick up’.

She told The Chronicle: “Our cat disappeared the day after the Oakmere one did, in exactly the same circumstances. Clint never moved more than two houses in either direction of ours and in fact the neighbours across the road didn’t know we had him because he never moved far from the back garden.

'Beyond heartbroken'

“He is very nervy of strangers and wouldn’t willingly have gone to someone. We are beyond heartbroken and have a 14-year-old Yorkie who is fretting because he can’t find Clint in the house."

Lisa added: “I am concerned that there is someone in the locality who may be driving around looking for cats to pick up – it’s the only explanation.

“He is the spitting image of ‘The Street Cat Named Bob’ so I think he will appeal to a lot of people for that reason. There is a very substantial reward offered by his insurers for Clint’s return which we will match.

“We wonder if there have been many other instances of this in the region because we think it’s possible people are stealing to order."

If you have any information about Clint, email Lisabanx66@hotmail.com.