AN Adelaide mum is making an emotional plea for help to find the missing pet cat of her teenage son, who has just 18 months to live.

Tanya Huxtable says her son, Justin Beswick, has been heartbroken since his Ragdoll cat, Oreo, went missing from their Hackham home about a month ago.

So desperate to reunite the pair, Ms Huxtable says she hired a pet detective and stuck up posters, letterbox dropped and door knocked her neighbourhood.

Oreo went missing on Friday, April 18, from the family’s home in Paterson Drive.

She is now calling on the public for help to find Oreo, who has been one of Justin’s only joys since he was diagnosed with juvenile Leukodystrophy three-and-a-half years ago.

The degenerative disease causes loss of brain and spinal function, and Justin, 19, is now confined to a wheelchair, is tube fed and has limited movement and speech.

media_camera Justin with his best friend, his Ragdoll cat, Oreo. Source: Supplied.

Ms Huxtable bought Oreo as a companion for Justin when he was diagnosed and given only five years to live.

She says Oreo and Justin share an inseparable bond, and since he went missing she has noticed a change in her son.

“In the last few weeks his speech has been deteriorating quickly and it’s getting harder and harder to understand him,” Ms Huxtable says.

“He’s much more relaxed and content when Oreo is around.”

Ms Huxtable appealed to the community to help reunite Justin and Oreo.

“Justin’s enjoyment in life is diminishing and the cat was a big part of it,” she says.

With help from his mum, Justin shares how much Oreo means to him.

“I want Oreo back, I love him,” he says.

Oreo is microchipped and was wearing a collar with a name tag when he went missing.

Ms Huxtable says it is very unusual the inside cat would wander far from home.

A reward is being offered on the return of Oreo.

Details: Ms Huxtable 0437 397 741

Originally published as ‘Please help find my dying son’s beloved pet’