A microchip embedded in Sooty's neck allowed Latrobe City Council to track down her owner, Yallourn North man Gary Mitchell.

The microchip contains a serial number that when scanned, connects to the Australian Central Animal Records, which contains animal and owner information.

It was through this microchip that Sooty was finally reunited with a very happy Gary.

Gary recalled when Sooty first went missing last year he was distraught.

``Just over nine months ago we moved to Yallourn North from Doveton and Sooty came with us and we had her all locked up in the house but someone left the door open and she got out,'' Gary said.

``We honestly thought that she'd gone home back to Doveton because we'd only been here for a few days so she probably wasn't used to this area.

``We believed so much that she had gone for good that we eventually bought another cat to replace her.''

Their new cat Socks soon took over as the household cat while Sooty remained elusive on the streets of Yallourn North.

For the next nine months life went on as usual for the Mitchells until a phone call last week from Latrobe City Council revealed a welcomed surprise.

``We were told that they believed that they had found our missing cat, Sooty,'' Gary said.

``They described the cat that they had with them and we thought it had to be her so we went in to check and saw that it was our missing Sooty.

``So we picked her up and we're so happy to have her back here with us.''

The microchip embedded in Sooty was her saviour.

Gary said Sooty had been found wandering on Kelso Road in Yallourn North, only one street away from the Mitchells' home.

He has no idea how Sooty survived on the streets of Yallourn North for so long but expected that she may have dined on some wildlife in the area.

After picking up Sooty from the pound Gary noticed that she was a little worse for wear and was as ``skinny as a rake''.

As soon as Sooty was brought home from the pound she was given a big, healthy meal which she made short work of, according to Gary.

``When we got her she was so skinny, she was just all fur, so in the first few days she just wolfed down everything that was in front of her,'' Gary added.

Gary said Sooty loved being back at home but she will be kept behind locked doors for some time before she's allowed to wander outside again.

Gary's wife Val praised the small piece of technology which helped reunite them with their lost cat.

``It just goes to show that the system works,'' Val said.

Latrobe City Council's senior local laws officer, Steve Wright played a big part in helping to reunite the two friends.

Mr Wright said microchips were well tolerated by animals and the process of implantation did not irritate them at all.

``We strongly encourage all owners to ensure their pet is microchipped from the earliest possible occasion,'' Mr Wright said.

``Most importantly, the contact details must be kept up to date ... if you move house, change phone numbers, even if your mobile phone number changes, let Central Animal Records know.''

Details on how to change registration details for microchipped animals can be found on the Central Animal Records website www.car.com.au