Clyde the cat is back after three years

Clyde the cat has had an emotional reunion with his owners in Tasmania after being found 3,800km away in outback Queensland (Australia).

Ashleigh Sullivan, 19, said she had given up hope of ever again seeing the long-haired Himalayan she loved and lost three years ago from her family's property at Magra, 40km north of Hobart.

She said she couldn't believe it when a vet in Cloncurry, in far-north Queensland, identified Clyde by his microchip and contacted her and her mother Katrina Phillips.

A nurse in Cloncurry had passed Clyde on to local vet Donna Weber after caring for him for the last four months.

She said Clyde had wandered in to the Cloncurry hospital grounds from a nearby caravan park.

Clyde, aged four, was flown from Mount Isa to Hobart for the tearful reunion on Wednesday via Brisbane and Melbourne after Dr. Weber drove him the 120km to the airport on Tuesday.

Clyde, who appears to have been well fed over those lost years, settled into his overjoyed owner's arms quickly on Wednesday morning.

Ms Sullivan said she thinks Clyde remembers her and her mother.

"I'm positive he remembers, he's not acting like he's suddenly appeared somewhere and is frantic," she said.

"We are really happy with the way he is. He is very relaxed.

"I was really worried he was going to be a bit more uptight."

She thinks Clyde was accidentally taken away from Magra after getting into a traveller's vehicle.

"It's pretty special to have him back. I'm very grateful to everyone who took care of him. I'm overwhelmed," she said.

Ms Phillips said Clyde's return was proof that people should microchip their pets.

"We never thought he'd come back - we are just so happy," she said.

"He'll get a nice big feed tonight but not too much because we don't want to upset his tummy after all that travel.

"I think we'll just keep him on a nice diet and just really, really enjoy having him back."

Dogtainers animal transport company moved Clyde home from Cloncurry free of charge.