THE Black Country Living Museum's resident pet has been harbouring a rather 'purr-plexing' secret.

Fourteen years ago Tiger the cat turned up at the museum and wasted no time cosying up to the maintenance team.

Roger Colbourne, who has been working at the museum for 27 years, quickly took a shine to Tiger and eventually the pair became inseparable.

The 70-year-old has fed and cared for Tiger for more than a decade and the feline even waits for him at the museum gates every morning.

But the 16-year-old cat’s cover was blown this month when a microchip scan revealed that he was once the much-loved pet of veterinary nurse Rachel Wells, who coincidentally now lives a few doors away from the Tipton Road museum.

Ms Wells had spent months desperately searching for her pet, then known as Snitch, but eventually gave up and resigned herself to having lost him forever.

She said: “I spent months putting up posters and trying to find him but it proved fruitless.

"However working as a veterinary nurse means I’ve seen a number of pets reunited with their owners after long periods of time so I never gave up hope and each time I moved house I always updated my contact details on his microchip, on the off-chance he ever turned up.

“When he finally reappeared after all these years I couldn’t believe it and especially because he’s now living so close to me.

"It’s a huge relief to know that he’s safe, well and is being so well looked after by Roger and the Black Country Living Museum.”

Mr Colbourne said he was "astounded" to learn about Tiger’s past.

He continued: "I have grown extremely close to him over the years and can’t imagine life without his companionship.

"I see him almost every day and the maintenance team all have a special bond with him – someone’s always fussing him or treating him.

"I lost my dog Rose over Christmas but seeing Tiger every day really helped me through that – he’s such an affectionate and loving cat.

"Still, we can’t help but feel duped – I thought someone had abandoned him when the truth was he had run away from a perfectly good home and loving owner.”

Tiger’s chip will be renamed to Mr Colbourne and he will remain at the museum, where he’ll spend his days snoozing and catching the odd mouse to earn his keep.