Their cat came back, almost four years later

A cat that disappeared from an Edmonton home nearly four years ago has found its way back.

Samantha Lien surprised her eight-year-old daughter,Kalona, with the news on Wednesday, after briefly hiding the cat in her daughter's room.

"I was surprised and excited and shocked," Kalona told CBC's Radio Active on Monday.

"At first, I thought it was just a cat we were pet-sitting,"Kalonasaid. "But then once I thought about it, it looked familiar and it kind of looked like Zoey."

Samantha posted a video of the reunion onFacebook.

In May 2015, Samantha's mother was visiting with her dog. One day, the dog chased Zoey out the door of their home in Evansdale, a north-Edmonton neighbourhood.

"A few days went by and we just never saw her again," Samantha said.

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The family posted a lost notice on a Facebook group, and put up flyers around the neighbourhood.

"I always talked about her and said I wanted her to come home, and she never did," Kalona said.

Last week, Samantha received a call from the city's animal care and control centre.

Someone had found Zoey about 50 blocks from where the family lived when they lost her, she said.

Animal control used an eartattooto identify the cat.

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Samantha said she isn't sure how Zoey survived all these years away from home, but guessed that she managed to find another home for a while, then escaped again.

Kalona also speculated that Zoey had been resourceful during her years away.

"She probably was eating a lot of mice, birds and outside things that cats like," she said.

When Samantha picked up Zoey, she said the cat seemed stressed from her time outside.

"She's pretty aggressive and violent when she wants to be, but she's still loving," Samantha said. "I can sense she's the same cat."

Kalona said Zoeynow staysin her bedroom and is even nicer than she was before.

"I give her food a lot and all the treats she loves and she smells me a lot," she said.

Samantha, who brought the cat to the CBC studio, said they'll be keeping a close eye on Zoey now that she's home.

"Hopefully, she's not going to go outside again."