MUM-of-two Tammy Johnston was stunned when she received a call from an East Lothian vet to say “we have your cat” – 13 months after he disappeared.

The Johnston family were left devastated when their three-year-old pet Boris Noris Basil the Third went missing while he was being looked after by a sitter in Prestonpans last September.

Daughter Felicity, now nine, was particularly distraught as he was considered her cat and she was still coming to terms with the tragic death of a family member who also went missing.

They spent two months putting up posters, making appeals on social media and checking with local rescues in a bid to find their beloved cat.

However, there was no sign of the triple-barrel-named puss and they gave up.

The family moved to London and began a new life with no hope of finding Boris Noris Basil the Third.

Then last week they received a call which left them shocked. Animals First in Macmerry had scanned the cat, after he was brought in by a good Samaritan, and found his microchip.

Tammy said: “I received a call saying we have Boris Noris Basil the Third; of course we knew it was him, with that name.

"I screamed with shock, it was amazing and shows how important it is to chip your pets.

“We immediately travelled to Macmerry and when Felicity and Boris saw each other they ran into each others' arms; it was incredibly moving to me as a parent to see that bond reunited.”

Tammy’s cousin, student David O’Halloran, went missing in January 2013 and his body was found three months later.

The family tragedy affected Felicity and the disappearance of her pet brought all her fears back.

Recruitment consultant Tammy, 31, her husband Kevin, Felicity and younger daughter Eva, now nine, were delighted to be reunited with their pet, who is now going to stay with Kevin’s parents May and Bill Johnston, in Fisherrow.

Tammy said: “Kevin’s parents lived with us when we had him and he is part of their family too.

"Our landlord was reluctant to let us bring him to London with us and the girls understand.

“We’ll visit often.”

As for Boris Noris Basil the Third, he had been living under a bush at Meadowmill Cottages since April, where resident Joy Stewart fed him daily and built his confidence slowly.

She took him to Animals First for a check after managing to get close enough to pick him up.

And the staff at the vets waived their fees for treating the family pet, who had been living rough for over a year.

Tammy said: “I can’t thank Joy enough for looking out for him and am so grateful to Animals First for scanning him, finding us and treating him without even charging.

“We never thought this day would come and feel incredibly lucky.”