A tiny bit of tech has delivered a big result for a Palmerston North family - reuniting twins three and a half years after one of them went missing.
Moss the moggie was adopted with his brother, Roy, from the SPCA in Hamilton and moved with them to Palmerston North, but shortly afterwards he went missing without a trace, despite all efforts to track him down.
That's until three and half years later when Moss's mum Melanie Fellowes got a phone call from her mother-in-law who had just heard from the SPCA in Hastings about 130km away.
"He's such a friendly cat ... if only they could tell us we'd know where he'd been" - Melanie Fellowes
Fellowes's reaction was one of shock.
"It can't be; it's been so long. To find him all the way away in Hastings, [it's] amazing."
She said Moss was a friendly cat so maybe someone picked him up or perhaps he had got into someone's car.
"If only they could tell us where they have been."
Photo: Supplied / Melanie Fellowes
When Moss disappeared the family made plenty of effort to find him, putting up posters, checking at their local school as well as searching and asking residents around the neighbourhood.
The family drove to Hastings to fetch Moss and he was such "a cool cat" that Fellowes said the long trip home was no bother.
When he returned home after his long adventure, he walked around and then went straight up the stairs to her son's bedroom where he used to sleep.
"He plonked himself on the bed and made himself comfortable - it was like he never left."
Photo: Supplied / Melanie Fellowes
As for reuniting with his twin brother, there were a few squabbles at the food bowl but the pair seemed pleased to see each other.
Fellowes was grateful for the micro-chip technology.
"You don't realise how much you really do miss them until you see them and you think where have you been, I've missed you so much."