A STRAY cat was rejected by his owners...despite being missing for eight years.

Tabbers, a Tabby cat, was brought into the south Essex Wildlife Hospital recently, after a lady had taken her in off the street.

But due to the woman's ill health, Tabbers was taken to the hospital, who managed to track down her former owners.

But despite being missing for a whopping eight years, the owners told the hospital volunteers that they didn't want her.

The hospital has spoken of the "rudeness and ingratitude" they received from the former owners.

A spokesman from the south Essex Wildlife Hospital, said: "She was bought in by a lovely lady who had been looking after this stray cat for several months but due to ill health could no longer care for the cat.

"We immediately found a microchip in the cat and established the cat had gone missing eight years ago.

"We thought the owners would be delighted with our call to tell them we had their pet.

"Their rudeness and ingratitude was staggering and they refused to take their cat back.

"Taabbers is now looking for a home."