A Sutton family have been reunited with their beloved pet cat after she was found by an animal charity -- 12 YEARS after she went missing.

The Nash family assumed the worst after their cat Kitty went missing in 2008.

In an incredible turn of events, Kitty was found alive by a member of the public who brought her to animal charity Blue Cross earlier this month.

Thanks to Kitty's microchip, the charity were able to find her family and rang mum Julia Nash, 56, to tell her the good news.

Julia said: "I was having coffee with a friend when I got the call and I was in complete shock, repeating 'Kitty? You found Kitty? My Kitty?' like a broken record.

"It just didn't seem real, it had been 12 years, I was sure that she'd sadly died after going missing but here was someone on the phone telling me they had her.

"I drove to Blue Cross that very same day to go get her with my son Phillip, and I was convinced that she wouldn't remember me, it had been too long.

"Kitty looked so skinny and small, and she had her back to us, cowering in the corner which broke my heart.

"I gently called her name and she turned around immediately, recognised me and ran over, putting her paws on my shoulder, kissing me and rubbing her head into my cheek.

"I burst out crying, then Phillip cried, and even the nurses started crying - it was very emotional and so beautiful that my lovely little girl remembered me after so long apart."

Wimbledon Times:

Julia had originally bought Kitty from a local pet shop in 2003 after her children Sam, then 7, Hannah, then 3, and Phillip, then 1, fell in love with her.

Kitty was Julia's children's first pet and soon became a beloved member of the family, moving house with the kids and Julia when she split from her partner in January 2007.

Julia's kids would return to their father's house on the weekends and Kitty would follow to her old home, walking the one mile distance by foot before the children brought her back at the end of the weekend.

The family grew used to Kitty disappearing for the weekend, but when she didn't turn up at the old house in late 2008, they began to worry.

As the months passed by with no sign of Kitty, the family feared the worst and mourned their beloved cat.

Julia's children grew up and over the years, Julia welcomed more cats into their family and has now brought Kitty home to meet Milly, 10, Daisy, 9, and Cookie, 3.

Wimbledon Times:

Julia said: "Kitty was nervous when she first came home after living on the streets for so long and she stayed in the bathroom, sleeping under the radiator to keep warm as she was so skinny.

"She's on medication for an overactive thyroid and a high heart and she's now doing really well.

"Kitty has taken over my daughter's bedroom and is eating so much food - she wolfs down about six pouches of cat food a day, so is really making up for lost time!

"She is 16 years old now and has already shown my other cats who's boss - if they try to come up the stairs when she's sat at the top, she'll hiss at them until they run away!

"I feel very thankful she's back - I'm so grateful to Blue Cross for looking after her and checking her microchip so that she could be reunited with us.

"Lots of private vets don't scan for microchips, so I'm just really pleased that whoever found Kitty took her to Blue Cross who do and now we have our girl back finally."

Wimbledon Times:

Blue Cross is an animal charity that helps sick, injured and homeless pets, re homing animals and educating people on animal welfare.

Louise Newman, Practice Manager at Blue Cross animal hospital in Merton, said: “We’re delighted Miss Kitty has been reunited with her owner and is getting on so well back in her home.

“We couldn’t believe the length of time that had passed since she had been missing.

"It really shows how important it is to ensure your pet is microchipped and your details kept updated.

"Luckily, the owner had kept the same phone number and we were able to get in touch with her to reunite her with Miss Kitty.”