The last two months has been anything but easy for Simba. His owners say this was the first time he’s been able to stand since he was found earlier this week.

"Simba is apart of the family. He is like my little brother," said Mai Tantawy.

She adopted Simba ten years ago from this Animal Care and Control center on Veterans Road West. She says the cat escaped from her backyard in New Springville two months ago.

"We didn't know if we were every going to find him, said Tantawy.

But on Monday, she got an unexpected knock on her door. A staff member from the same center where Simba was adopted, had found her furry friend.

"He was like you have my cat in the van. I was like you have my cat. I didn't believe it until he opened up the box," she said.

A neighbor spotted Simba up the block from the Tatawy's home and called Animal Care and Control. The center's manager says the cat and all their adopted animals have a microchip. It's the size of a grain of rice, implanted under the animals skin.

"They don't feel that its there. It's very easy to scan. It doesn't harm them. All the information for the owners is on the microchip," said the center's manager.

Animal Care and Control officials say the center receives more than 30,000 animals per year and more than 80 percent of them are adopted. The cost of a microchip can range from 25 to 50 dollars. Officials say it's important to keep the information updated online.

"All you have to do is login and change your phone number or address," said the center's manager.

Tantawy says she is thankful to the staff members at the center who gave her the greatest gift this holiday season.

"It was the sweetest thing in the world. They are still in touch with me now to see if Simba needs anything," she said.