A family in Canada was reunited with their pet cat that went missing from their home for more than 10 years.

Winnipeg Humane Society shared a photo of Freda Watson and her black and white cat, George, as the pair were reunited after more than 10 years apart.

A Good Samaritan found George wandering the streets and decided to take him to the Humane Society where staff attempted to track down his owners.

"WHS Intake staff did a bit of investigating because George's tattoo was faded," the Humane Society said.

Staff eventually managed to decipher George's tattoo to find his information, but Watson's last name, address and phone number changed since the cat went missing.

The shelter managed to get in touch with Watson's sister-in-law who informed her the wayward pet had been found.

"I couldn't sleep the night before," Watson said. "I was crying that night and I was crying in the morning."

She arrived at Winnipeg Human Society the next day, where staff said George had been hissing at them, but his temperament quickly improved upon spotting his owner.

"As I went to the kennel and pet him, he sniffed me and all of a sudden he was just rubbing up on me like he remembered me," Watson said. "I carried him in my arms and he put both his paws around my neck as if he was hugging me."

The family guessed someone must have been caring for the 13-year-old cat and they were thankful to have him back.

"I was so happy to get him back, I couldn't even imagine how overwhelmed I was," Watson said. I never thought I could feel like that. But then I was thinking about how the family would feel that had him for so long."