An inspiring Christmas reunion has been cut short by tragedy.

But the Sheppey couple who were reunited with their cat after nearly seven years are staying positive.

Tabs, 19, was found lying on the street at the back of John and Jude Kinloch’s old house in Gillingham on Christmas Eve.

Thanks to the help of a passing stranger, the trio were reunited at their new home in Sheppey.

But sadly, two days later Tabs had to be put to sleep.

Prison worker Jude, 53 said: “It was like he was waiting for us.

“We can’t believe he survived all that time on his own, he was stronger than any of us knew.”

The amazing reunion was triggered when mum-of-three Lisa Jones spotted him in a “pitiful” state as she walked home on Christmas Eve.

She called Kent’s Animals Lost and Found charity who found Tabs’ owners via his microchip.

Jude said: “We couldn’t believe it when we got the call.

“I thought it was some kind of prank at first.

“My husband didn’t stop crying. He was looking at Tabs on his tablet the other day.

“He still had him on it as his screensaver. He had never changed it.

“It was like he had been reunited with his best friend.”

John and Judge fed Tabs his first proper meal in years, prompting him to vomit on the journey home.

It was a sign of the toll time had taken on him.

Jude explained: “We had Tabs back for two days. We took him to the vet who took one look at him and said ‘it’s time for him to go to heaven’.

“I have no doubt if Lisa hadn’t picked him up then Tabs would have died that night.

“Instead he got to come home with us and see Ziggy, our other cat.

“It sounds corny but I know Ziggy recognised him after all those years, he showed Tabs how to eat out of his bowl again.

“This Christmas has been a rollercoaster of sadness and happiness."

The couple donated £250 to Kent’s Animals Lost and Found after the reunion, a donation matched by Jude's mum.

Read more: All the latest news from the Isle of Sheppey.