Animal detectives at the RSPCA centre in Putney solved a French conundrum and were able to track down the owner of a injured cat.

Little Meliodas was found by a concerned member of the public on their doorstep in the Raynes Park area on October 15 with nasty injuries to his hind leg.

The staff at the Putney Animal Centre gave Meliodas some pain relief, who they believe was hit by a car, but when they checked his microchip, they were left with a French question.

All of the information on the microchip was in French so the staff needed the help of RSPCA networking administrator Agnes Harinquet-Rougeot, who is a French national.

She called the number on the chip, posted details on a French national lost and found website, and sent emails out to find the missing owner.

Meliodas was treated for a broken pelvis and femoral neck fracture and had to spend multiple weeks in the hospital.

Finally, after finding the correct email, Anges was able to get in touch with the owner Steve Carrier-Simon, who was delighted to be reunited with his poor cat.

Steve, who lives in the Raynes Park area after moving to England from Brussels in June, said: “Meliodas is now back home and is doing well from his surgery, his surgeons said that because he is still very young – only a year and a half – his body is recovering well.

“He now has a metallic square in his pelvis as part of the surgery, but he seems to be doing well, I am just so grateful that the RSPCA were able to help him and that Agnes made such an effort to find me and didn’t give up.

“I would just like to thank everyone at the RSPCA for being so helpful and I would encourage other people to ensure that they get their pets microchipped as it definitely saved my boy.”

Anges said: "I am so pleased that I have been able to reunite Steve with his beloved Meliodas, and it just shows once again the importance of getting your pet microchipped.

“Every animal which comes to Putney is always scanned for a chip, and we will do all we can to trace the owner, no matter what country they are from and I am delighted that in this case it was a happy ending for all.

“Sadly for those animals without a chip, it is so hard to reunite them, we always put their details on the Pets Located website, but if they are chipped and the details are up to date we can reunite them so much quicker.

"While it is heartbreaking to lose a pet, if they are microchipped there is a small part of reassurance that should they be found they will make their way back home to you."