After a hitch-hike adventure around the nor-west Adelaide is finally home.

The 15-year-old female tortoiseshell cat with a distinctive half-tail, lived with a family in Waimauku until a recent move to Taupaki.

After two days at her new home she went missing.

Owner Karen McLean placed an advertisement in the Nor-west News last month appealing for anyone who had spotted her to get in contact.

Adelaide is well-known throughout the community for her walks on a harness, visits to resthomes and stealing the Waimauku Kindergarten’s morning tea.

She is also a sentimental lasting link to Karen’s brother who was her previous owner.

He died several years ago.

The first sighting of the mischievous feline came nearly 30km away in Kaukapakapa.

Ms McLean doubted this was her pet, and took more photos to show the callers.

It is suspected Adelaide hitch-hiked from Waimauku to Kaukapakapa on the back of a work ute.

But the phone call that brought Adelaide back to her grateful owner came from Taiapa Rd in Muriwai.

A neighbour of the woman who came across the cat had seen the advertisement and recognised the moggie.

Ms McLean is really glad she made the effort to place the advertisement and distribute flyers around the area "because otherwise Adelaide would have been anonymous".

She says it is through the power of positive thinking that they have been reunited.

During the search, Ms McLean cut out the advertisement, crossed out the word "lost" and put "found", and placed it on her fridge.

She was in no doubt that Adelaide would survive the ordeal and somehow find her way home.

Ms McLean believes Adelaide’s wandering days are over, but the cat has a new collar just in case.