Forbes, the cat, reunited with his delighted owners after going missing for 10 years

• Forbes the cat wandered out of his home in 2011 and has not been found since.
• Neil Henderson, his owner, said he assumed the worst.
• But 10 years later, the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found Forbes and reunited the family.

Forbes, the cat, devastated his family in Aberdeen, Scotland, after leaving home in 2011 and never returning.

But recently, a skinny cat was brought in for care from the streets by the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).

A quick scan of the feline found that 12-year-old Forbes was microchipped, which allowed for a joyful reunion with Neil and Lucy Henderson.

Mr. Henderson, Forbes's dad, who started looking for him just days after he went missing, told the SSPCA: We were distraught. We'd had him from when he was a kitten and we had such a special bond. He was such a unique and friendly character. We absolutely adored him.

"Our friend made posters and we went door-to-door. We asked people to check garages and sheds as we thought he may have just been locked inside. After eight or nine months, we very sadly had to come to the realization that the worst may have happened."

But recently, that all changed.

"My wife phoned when I was on the motorway and she told me I had to pull over. Hearing that Forbes had been found left me completely astounded."

It's a dream come true," he added.

"We traveled to Aberdeen the next day and when he was brought out, I recognized him immediately. Forbes did give me a big cuddle so I'm hopeful that he remembered us."

Animal rescue officer Greg Stevenson of the SSPCA, who reunited Forbes and his family, said there was no way to know where the cat had been or what mischief he had been up to.

"Due to the roaming nature of cats, they can go missing or return to homes where they have previously been fed. No matter how tempting it is to invite a cat that is not yours into your home, please don't do this as it can cause great upset for owners," he said.

The Henderson family says Forbe's story is a reason to support the mandatory microchipping of pets - so that there is always a chance at reuniting lost animals and their homes.