The owners of a five-month-old kitten who went missing in Kilwinning say they are ‘distraught’ and are pleading for neighbours to search their gardens.

Piper is a five-month-old black cat, with white paws, bib and belly and has a pink collar and a name tag. 

She went missing on Sunday night in Duddingston Avenue in the Whitehirst Park area of the town.

Her owners believe she got frightened by the wind and rain and will most likely have found a secluded, dry and sheltered spot in someone's back garden and are urging residents to have a look. 

Owner Richard Kay said: “It is completely out of character. She is only five-months-old and is only starting to explore our back garden and our neighbours’ gardens.

“Our garden is enclosed but she can now jump fences but when she does that if you call her she comes back all the time.

“She is starting to become very adventurous and testing her new limits of jumping and chasing birds. However, she is rarely out of the house for longer than an hour before coming back for food, sleep or just to sit with us. 

“I am still hopeful we will find her. It’s tough when you walk around the house and you see one of her belongings and you get disappointed that she has not come back yet. I am just gutted.

“It’s hitting my girlfriend the hardest. She is distraught.

“I would kindly ask fellow residents to check their gardens and to look in any space that a cat could crawl into because it is most likely what she would try to do.

“Her pink collar has my number, however you might not get too close to her, as she is still very cautious around new people, new sounds and new sights.”

If anyone spots her, you can call Richard on 07773 557161.