Eight-year-old Carlie Sheridan of Northern Nevada never expected to see her cat Splash again.

The orange tabby wandered off in July 2011 shortly after the cat and his family moved from Loyalton to Cold Springs.

Carlie was 4-years-old when she adopted Splash on the same day her brother Bret also adopted a cat named Humphrey. When the cat did not return home, the entire family was heartbroken.

When the Sheridan’s phone rang last week, almost exactly one year after Splash disappeared, the last thing they expected to hear was that Splash had just been found in Sun Valley by Washoe County Animal Control Officer Marie Busselman.

Splash is home now because Splash has a microchip.

“The story of Splash and Carlie is a wonderful illustration of why we so strongly believe in the value of microchips and urge every pet owner to make use of them,” Washoe County Regional Animal Services Manager Barry Brode said in a statement. “Microchipping is your pet’s best chance of getting back home if it ever becomes lost.”