A CAT was miraculously reunited with his loved ones after disappearing from Appleton before finding the new family home in Stockton Heath.

Owner Louise Wilkinson returned to her former home, on Farm Lane, to collect cats Thomas and Jess on April 17 after shifting the household goods over to the Greenbank Gardens property situated one mile away.

However, tabby Thomas, two, was nowhere to be seen.

The family launched an appeal asking for help and concerns began to mount over the safety of the furry animal.

But he somehow found his way to the house, which he had never previously visited, four days later and wasted no time in making himself feel at home.

Louise said: "We are not sure how he managed to get here – he must have gone across the canal.

"I was not sure if it was him at first, I was really surprised. Me and the children, Emilie and Harry, were worried.

"They were not sleeping and had been up in the night in tears.

"When he came back he was really hungry and thirsty. We fed him his favourite food, an egg, and lots of cat food.

"He also drank out of the tap for around 10 minutes then slept."