Milton Keynes, UK - When staff at a UK animal shelter routinely scanned a lost cat, they had no idea that they would be reopening a story that had long been thought to be over.

In 2019, a family cat named Felix disappeared without a trace. His owners were left in fear and despair as hours of searches in the neighborhood and desperate pleas on social media proved fruitless.

Felix was chipped, which was a reassuring thought, but the long-awaited phone call never came.

Weeks turned into months, months into years. At some point, all that remained was the sad assumption that Felix was no longer alive.

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What the family didn't know was that hope can last for six years, which is how long it took before Felix was suddenly seen again – in a yard very close to his old home.

He came to the local animal shelter as a supposed stray. A quick scan, a beep – and then the sensation: the microchip was still registered as missing, and it contained the family's old contact details!

Once the family learned Felix had been found, they rushed over to the shelter, as manager Emily Lewry-Dawson told Newsweek.

The reunion was overwhelming: after six years with no answers and dwindling hope, there were many tears and countless hugs.

The touching scene was later posted to TikTok by the shelter, and the post quickly went viral.

For the time being, Felix is on "strict house arrest."

After years on his own, the cat has to get used to life in safety again. He is also slowly getting to know the family's new pets – after all, a lot has changed in six years!

The animal shelter itself has branded the reunion a Christmas miracle, and thousands of viewers on TikTok have been moved to tears.