AN Ardrossan 10-year-old had the best birthday present possible as she was reunited with her missing cat after 38 days.

Junior went missing on Christmas Eve, leaving Amelia heartbroken and the family beginning to fear the worst as the days went by and there was no sign of their beloved cat despite extensive searches.

However, Junior remarkably turned up out of the blue on Amelia’s 10th birthday on Sunday, much to the joy and relief of the family.

Mum Kelly Finlayson-Doak told the Herald: “We moved house in November from West Kilbride to Ardrossan and Junior settled in well but then on Christmas Eve he went out and we had not seen him since.

“He was very much missed and left a big hole in the family.

“My daughter Amelia was very upset as they had been so close and we started to fear the worst had happened to him.

“However, fast forward to yesterday [January 31] at 8.30am, it was my daughter's 10th birthday so I was in the kitchen making her a cake and heard a cat meowing - we have two other cats.

"I turned to the patio doors and saw this wee cat on the doorstep, did a double take and realised it was Junior.

“I was in total shock. I scooped him up and ran upstairs to waken my daughter and she was delighted, and the joy was written all over her face.

“We couldn't believe that after being missing for 38 days he came home on the morning of her 10th birthday to give her the best birthday present she could have ever asked for.

“She spent her birthday catching up with lots of missed snuggles and he never left her side all day.”