Back in 2013, Jodie, was living in Griffin Street, near Charles Sturt University after moving to Bathurst from Katoomba.

She said the last time she saw Frank it rained heavily, he was outside, and never returned and she feared the worst.

"It poured raining that day, the road flooded, he never came back and I assumed he had drowned in a storm water drain."

Since losing Frank, Jodie moved house a couple of times, and by chance only recently updated her information with council.

Then out of the blue, she got a call from council saying Frank had been taken to the Stewart Street Veterinary Clinic and needed to be collected.

She said she literally couldn't believe it.

"I cried my eyes out, I was in total shock.

"I just thought there was no way, they had to be kidding."

After seven years away, Jodie said it took Frank some time to become re-acquainted with the family but having been home for a while is now getting on famously with his extended pet family.

"It did take him a while to settle in," Jodie said.

"There's four cats here, three males and a female."

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"But I remember not long after he got back I woke up and he was asleep on my pillow, and I knew he was alright.

Despite having other cats in the family and only recently returning Jodie says Frankie thinks he is the boss.

"He definitely rules the roost," she said.

But, she said having been away so long, he does tend to stay close to the house now.

"He hasn't wandered off at all, he stands around the door, and runs back in pretty quickly (when it's opened)," she said.

A spokesperson for council said Frank's story showed the importance of mirco-chipping your pets.

"Thankfully she had micro-chipped him so when he came into the pound our staff were able to call her and let her know."

They said Jodie was "very emotional about being reunited with her missing cat."

"She has since popped into the pound to let the staff know he has settled in really well," she said.