When Moonlight the cat went missing almost nine years ago , his distraught owners tried everything to find him , before giving him up for dead six months later . But now the beloved pet has been reunited with owner Rosie Collier , 52 , after turning up at a vet 's surgery two miles away from her house in Chediston , Suffolk , earlier this week . Mrs Collier , who lives with husband John , and 17-year-old daughter Melba , says the beloved animal is now back living with them and their other pets . Moonlight initially disappeared while staying with Mrs Collier 's parents , Denise and Chris , in Wenhaston , while Mrs Collier was on holiday . Rosie Collier , 52 ( centre ) , and daughter Melba ( centre left ) were reunited with pet Moonlight after nine years when a member of the public brought him to vet Jenny Reason ( far right ) who found he was microchipped . Mrs Collier said Moonlight went missing nine years ago while she was on holiday , and the family gave him up for dead after a cat matching his description was found in the road , but he miraculously survived . When she returned the family spent months looking for Moonlight , before a cat matching his description was found dead in the road . Mrs Collier said the family were 'devastated ' at the loss , and even planted a special memorial tree for Moonlight in their back garden . However , unbeknownst to them , the pet was actually alive , and is believed to have survived wild on a nearby heath , hunting and killing his own food . Believing he was a neighbour 's cat , a female animal-lover in the village occasionally fed Moonlight whenever he stopped by , but took him to the vet after noticing he had lost some fur . When the cat got there , medics discovered he had been microchipped , and were able to track down his owners . Mrs Collier said : ' I simply couldn ’ t believe it - it ’ s just miraculous ! I was just so surprised , I really did not expect to ever get good old Moonlight back . ' I was in shock at first but then I had a huge grin from ear to ear for the rest of the day . ' The news was particularly exciting for Melba , who was just eight at the time the cat went missing , and was distraught over losing him . Mrs Collier explained : 'There were buckets of tears . Melba was very distressed , even her dance teacher can still remember how upset she was - it was that traumatic . ' But rather than inform her daughter straight away , Mrs Collier waited until Melba , who celebrated her 17th birthday yesterday , returned from Bungay college that evening to break the news . Mrs Collier believes Moonlight was living wild on a nearby heath , eating whatever he could catch . A female animal-lover also fed him scraps , and then took him to the vet when she noticed he had fur missing . Melba said : ' I was just really shocked . Eight years is a really long time and so I was not expecting it at all - it ’ s just so good to have our Moonlight back after all this time . ' After a cautious reintroduction to Echo , the family ’ s golden retriever , and two new pets , Tilly the black labrador and Dusty the cat , Moonlight is happier than ever . Mrs Collier said : ' I was not sure he would remember us after so many years but he came straight home and he has been purring and rubbing himself up against us . 'He obviously still knows and remembers who we are - even the dog . ' 'We always knew he was a good hunter , so if he was alive he would probably be OK looking after himself . 'We think he must have been living wild on the heath near here , killing rabbits and mice , but also taking advantage of people who would feed him . 'We are just so happy to have Moonlight back - it ’ s a genuine miracle . ' Vet Jenny Reason , who discovered Moonlight was microchipped , added : 'When a missing pet turns up , it ’ s usually a matter of days , sometimes a little longer , but I ’ ve never known a pet to return after over eight and a half years . 'It ’ s a fantastic story - and just goes to show why it ’ s so absolutely vital to chip your pet . '
Rosie Collier , 52 , said Moonlight went missing almost nine years ago . Family looked for cat for six months until similar animal was found in road . They assumed pet was dead , and even planted memorial tree in garden . The family has been told the cat is alive but not well enough to be released back into wild.