A 5-year-old boy burst into tears of joy after unexpectedly reuniting with his beloved cat that had been missing for over a year and a half.

Ronnie Humber was visiting a local adoption center with his mom to pick up a new cat after their ginger cat Phoenix disappeared months earlier. The family had searched everywhere for him and eventually lost hope of ever seeing him again.

But while walking past the enclosures, Ronnie suddenly spotted a familiar face, Phoenix, sitting in the cage right next to the cat they were about to adopt. The little boy immediately started screaming with excitement and crying happy tears as he realized his best friend had been found.

Phoenix began purring the moment his family came close, as if he recognized them instantly. The cat had been brought to the rescue center as a stray, and because the address on his microchip was outdated, the staff couldn’t locate his family.

It was an incredible and emotional reunion the family never expected.