A 13-year-old tabby cat that went missing ten years ago has been found in Wales – the animal reappeared on the very day its owner turned 30.

Lucy and Hannah Robertson suffered a devastating loss in 2016 when their three-year-old cat, Charlie, disappeared shortly after the family moved. The cat, who had been wandering outside in April, never returned home, and despite months of searching, she was never found.

Hannah, 37, said she moved from Newbridge to Abercarn, Caerphilly, ten years ago, and just three days after moving, the wayward cat disappeared. She said there were several tips, but each time, the animal was never lost. The family remained hopeful, though Charlie was never found.

Lucy added that they questioned neighbors and posted notices, but there was no sign of the cat. She admitted she was afraid the animal had been hit by a car or had died.

Change came on July 29th: Hannah received a call from the veterinary clinic in Abercarn informing her that Charlie had been found. It turned out that the cat had been spotted by a nearby resident who had been feeding the animal for several weeks, believing it to be a stray, and then taken it to the vets. There, they contacted Hannah using the number stored in her microchip. Veterinarians were surprised to learn the cat had been missing for a decade: Charlie was in excellent condition, with a well-groomed coat and no signs of living outside.

According to Hannah, the family will likely never know what the cat has been doing all these years. Lucy noted that the pet recognized her owners immediately and looked virtually unchanged from old photographs.

Charlie is now adjusting to living alongside the family's other animals—a process that's proceeding gradually but successfully. Lucy says the cat eagerly accepts food and attention and remains as affectionate as she was ten years ago—as if she already feels like a true celebrity.