After seven years, Nicole Waite thought her old cat Sooty was dead until he suddenly appeared in her garden. Unfortunately, the 14-year-old feline broke his owner's heart once again.

Seven years ago, a rift formed between Waite and Sooty.

At the time, the black became heartbroken over the loss of Waite's other cat, who died after being hit by a car. Then along came a baby, and Sooty got jealous.

He started spending more time in Waite's backyard and was soon accepting food from her neighbors. Eventually, the cat moved in with his substitute family.

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But even this connection didn't last. Sooty vanished seven years ago.

"I started to see him less and less, at a distance, and eventually didn't see him at all," Waite told Newsweek. "Never saw him in anyone's garden or crossing the road at night, and we all assumed he had died."

Last month, she saw a cat in her garden and immediately recognized it. Sooty was back!

Waite told Newsweek that she recognized her beloved Sooty because of the distinctive notch in his ear.

"I ran to grab some treats from my kitchen, and Sooty was still sitting there(...) I have dogs now, but I thought the dog treat bag might tempt him over. He just looked at me. I told him I missed him and cried a lot," she said.

A video of Sooty's return also made waves on TikTok, showing the black cat looking at its former human intensely.

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Waite thinks the collar Sooty was wearing during their latest encounter is from her neighbors.

Unfortunately, the reunion was bittersweet. Sooty hasn't returned since, and Waite thinks this was her old pet's way of saying goodbye forever.