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The team began scratching their heads after scanning the moggy's identifying microchip and finding his home address was based in Germany.

Initially this led them to believe that Gypsy had been mistakenly abandoned on holiday. However, it's also possible that his owners relocated to Scotland and Gypsy simply got lost.

While this means that the worried owners can do nothing but stare at the cat flap, presumably unaware of Gypsy's whereabouts, officers at the SPCA have been using their detective skills to try and reunite the moggy with his rightful owners.

Vicky Roy, animal rescue officer at the Scottish SPCA, explained how revealing pin dot tattoos in the ear could be the breakthrough the team needs.

"One ear has the number '96' inside, which we believe could be the year he was born. His other ear has initials inside, which we think may be his owner's," she told dailyrecord.co.uk.

"However, we are not going to reveal what these are as these will help us confirm that Gypsy belongs to anyone who does come forward."

Gypsy is also registered on the Pet Travel Scheme database, leading the SPCA to draw conclusions that his owners may have recently moved to the area.

Following on from Team GB's successes at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, animal lovers in Cambridge decided it was time to put a raft of four-legged competitors through their paces.

The result has been Milton Country Park's Dogolympics, which organisers are pleased to report has been a resounding success - despite the soggy conditions.

Set up by local representatives of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the sporting spectacle, which took place at the weekend, was put on in an attempt to raise funds for hearing dogs.

Thousands of people turned out for the event, according to cambridge-news.co.uk, to watch dozens of hounds who came from all over the country to perform tricks, stunts and feats of endurance second only to their Olympic counterparts.

Once released from their dog crates, spectators witnessed the canines produce some particularly amazing tasks as part of the 10-discipline decathlon - including jumps and tunnel runs.

Other competitive events, according to hearingdogs.co.uk included the 'cleverest canine' and 'best biscuit catcher'.

Local charity co-coordinator and organiser, Jenny Parker, said of the event: "The minute the event started the heavens opened but despite the rain the turnout was marvellous.

"The whole aim of the dog show and the decathlon is to enable dogs and their owners to let off some steam and have some fun, but obviously it's all about promoting our charity too."

She jovially added that the dog decathlon was a particularly fun event as if the dogs couldn't complete any of the disciplines then their owners had to take their place.

A mischievous moggy named Denis has been dubbed Denis 'the Menace' in his hometown of Luton, Bedfordshire, following an 18-month crime spree, dailymail.co.uk reports.

While most cats grow out of the habit, Denis, a rescue cat, never did learn to give up clearing out his neighbours homes and gardens of shirts, dolls, paintbrushes and undergarments.

His owner Lesley Newman, aged 49, says that over the course of a year-and-a-half, Denis has easily amassed a haul of over 100 items, making him one of Befordshire's more prolific cat burglars.

"He has completely filled two large boxes," says Ms Newman. "I tracked down the lady who lost her sandals and Denis would have had to scale five 6ft fences to get there and back."

Ms Newman says she doesn't mind Denis' criminal ways as he only brings items back to the house and not live animals. Plus, if something goes missing, the neighbours know where to look.

Most of the time Denis only gets as far as the front door too, but on occasions, some goods make it through the cat flap and into the house.

According to cat behaviourist, Vicky Halls, there's nothing wrong with Denis' behaviour: "It's relatively common for cats to do this, and it could be the process of finding an object, grabbing it, and taking it back that they like, not actually the item itself," she tells thesun.co.uk.

"Or, it could be the texture and feel of certain items in their mouth that they like, which could be why certain things are taken time and time again."

A cat that had been missing for nearly six years has been reunited with its owner.

Moggy Merlin has been gone for five years and eight months, however was picked up by owner Alan Cooke yesterday after the cat was found on a farm in Newbury on Monday (September 17).

Mr Cooke, from the Earley area, was pleased to have his cat back, telling thisisreading.co.uk: "We had him microchipped and reported him missing but we didn't hear anything. To be honest. I thought he'd been eaten by a fox."

He continued: "I couldn't believe it when we got the call. He's been living on a farm in Newbury but we've got no idea how he got there."

Merlin has apparently been living at the Newbury farm for four years, where he has been looked after by the owners. The finally found the micro-chip when they took him to the vet for a cough.

Mr Cooke said that to get the car back after nearly six years was 'amazing' and that the cat hasn't really changed that much to what he remembered, sat back in his dog bed that he has kept for the last five years.

Website vetsforpets.com say that micro-chipping is a permanent way to make cats are always identifiable. The micro-chip is only the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the animal's skin by an injection.

Battersea Dogs Home has issued a plea to dog lovers nationwide, in an attempt to re-home its oldest ever 'resident' - a mongrel named Blackie.

At 19 years (113 in human equivalent), Blackie is well into his twilight. He is thought to be the oldest dog ever to have been taken in at the famous South London dog kennels since it opened in 1860, dailymail.co.uk reports. However, unlike many other old dogs, Blackie is said to be full of energy and 'bounds around' his temporary home. 

Well-behaved, Blackie has 'impressed' staff with his love of walks and lapping up attention, thus Battersea understandably thinks Blackie deserves a loving home in which to 'enjoy his retirement'. Being an older dog, whoever comes to Blackie's rescue might only need to buy a comfy dog bed, some nice new toys and of course, lavish piles of affection on him.

The lovable pooch is one of many dogs that seem to be living for longer, due possibly to hypo-allergenic diets and greater levels of care. Blackie arrived at Battersea Dogs Home in August as his previous owners were sadly unable to care for him any longer. They assured staff that Blackie was indeed 19 years old.

Operations manager, Philip Heron told metro.co.uk: "We can't find any record of an older dog. Blackie still has lots of love to give, so we're searching for a special home for him."

Balanced diets and exercise are not just for humans but for pet dogs too, independent.co.uk writer and animal rights campaigner Dr Victoria Martindale has said.

Her comments were made following the discovery of internet sensation "Obie" - who, at 77 pounds (5.5 stone), is officially the world's fattest dachshund.

While the five-year-old sausage dog might look odd and even humorous to some, the writer warns that the issue of dog obesity is becoming a widespread problem. Last year, pdsa.org.uk's Paw Report found that of the 8.3 million dogs in the UK, one in three is obese.

Just like in humans, obesity can lead to health problems in dogs - including diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and breathing problems.

"A podgy pooch may look cute but unless we fight the flab for our dogs they won't live as long as we would like," remarked Dr Martindale. Therefore dog owners should take responsibility for their pooch by feeding them a healthy diet and slipping on the dog harness regularly for walks.

Owners are additionally warned that they have a duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which states that owners can be jailed or fined for the mistreatment or abuse of animals - this includes overfeeding.

"Just as we know what those extra crisps and fat laden nibbles do to our hips, our table scraps are definitely not meant for our dogs," Dr Martindale said.