A family has been reunited with their cat that went missing eight months ago, after they recognized the feline's distinct meow during a phone call to the vet.

40-year-old Rachael Lawrence had been on the phone to Vets4Pets regarding another cat, Torvi, who had recently had an operation when she heard a meow in the background.

The mom of three instantly knew the meow and asked about it, but was told the call belonged to a stray cat that had been brought in a week ago.

Rachael ended the call but couldn't stop thinking about the meow and wondered if it could have belonged to her cat, Barnaby, who had gone missing eight months ago.

She called back to ask if the stray cat was black with a distinctive white blotch of fur on his back foot, but couldn't believe it when the vet told her the description matched.

Rachael immediately rushed to the vet with photos to confirm the match.

Rachael, who lives in Braintree, Essex, said, "I couldn't believe what was happening. I just cried when I saw him, full on… I was sobbing, just absolutely howling. I just couldn't believe it.

She video-called her kids and said "Look who I've got!"

During the lockdowns in 2020, Rachael had paid for an independent company to come to her home and chip Barnaby should he ever go missing.

She paid for the service and registered the chip details online, but it wasn't until Barnaby went missing that she discovered the chip had not worked.

On being reunited with her beloved pet, Rachael asked the vet to chip Barnaby there and then.

Now all is safe and well, and the family cat is back home and enjoying lots of attention so he can return to his healthy previous self.

Rachael says, "He's now eating really, really well so we just need to get him back to full health. I'm so happy and the kids are thrilled to have him home.

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