Known Feline-About-Town Missing, Leaving Many Worried About Stella Cat

Written by: Kelli Brinegar
For more than five years, Kelli Brinegar has been using her ability to write and her passion for research to tell the tale of what cats are thinking and why. She has provided care to more than 30 cats in her lifetime.Read more
| Published on March 7, 2023

If you call Beckenham in Greater London County of England home, then you’ve certainly set eyes on Stella the cat before. But for those of us who don’t know the lovely girl, Stella is a friendly cat who loves to stroll the streets and shops to mingle with residents and visitors. She’s well-loved by the people of her town and the Williams family.

The Williams adopted Stella from the Romney House Cat Rescue Centre in Downe after she was rescued from the streets of Romania. But now the five-year-old cat has gone missing, leaving the Williamses and their fellow cat lovers of Beckenham on high alert and searching for their feline celebrity.

A Cat with Places to Be

Talking to the News Shopper about missing Stella, mom Rebecca Williams shared, “You’ve never met a cat like her – she is so bold and funny.”

“She is very affectionate,” said Rebecca. “As soon as she sees someone she just starts following them and that’s why we try and get her in at night time.”

Rebecca has fixed notes to Stella’s collar asking people not to keep her in their home as she has a family who prefers to have her home at night. Plus, Stella wants to be home at night, where she can sleep soundly in human brother Ewan’s arms.

RELATED: “Celebrity” Bengal Cat Returns To Hometown, Residents Rejoice

Stella has made so many new friends over her tenure in Beckenham that she was often brought to the vet as people thought her a lost cat. This prompted Rebecca to fit Stella with a tracker collar that pinpoints her location via GPS. Through her tracking collar, Rebecca and her family have learned Stella’s haunts. And those haunts often change as she’s a cat with places to see.

“She has about a week of really liking somewhere and then she will move on and find a new spot,” Rebecca explained.

“The other day I got a call that she was at the shop Jumping Bean, she has gone to Superdrug and sat in the chair near the window, Lidl, Clarks, charity shops, she’s been in the library, she just goes everywhere.”

“She will go up to people on the street and just start crying so they might think she is distressed but all she wants is a cuddle and to be picked up.”

Tracker Loses Location

And Stella’s family fears this is just what happened, explaining on Facebook, “Someone took her into their flat and we were not able to get to her. She was let out very late and now her tracker won’t pick up her location.”

Rebecca has called the tracker company to reset the device, but Stella remains missing.

As Rebecca told the News Shopper, “Normally I am inundated on a daily basis with calls about her and that is why it is so unusual because nobody has seen her.”

Stella fans have taken to searching for the beloved cat as well as commenting and posting on Facebook regarding any sightings. If you live in the area and have seen Stella, check in with the Beckenham Appreciation Group on Facebook or visit @stella_cat_of_beckenham on Instagram.

RELATED: 7 Tips for Finding Your Lost Cat

Feature Image: @stella_cat_of_beckenham/Instagram