A cat is back with its family after a devasting fire destroyed a Nesconset home - killing four other pets.

Ernie the cat spent 12 days inside the burned-out house with no food or water before he was rescued.

The homeowner, Debbie Robinson, says she came back to check on the house and heard a faint sound coming from inside.

"Amazing that we were there, at that moment, that we went in the house, and he was strong enough with his lungs to cry," Robinson says.

Ernie was rescued by Frankie Floridia, of Strong Island Animal Rescue, when Robinson called him for help.

Floridia says he dropped everything he was doing as soon as he got the call, got his gear and went inside the home.

"Climbed up to the highest point in the house and started looking around and there he was, we saw Ernie, we were so happy," Floridia says

As soon as the 10-year-old cat was out of the house, Robinson says they took him straight to an animal hospital.

The feline was covered in soot and smelled of fire, but his family says after getting food, fluids and lots of love, he is OK.

The Robinson's family home went up in flames earlier this month and killed four of their other cats.

Robinson says the family wasn't home at the time, but neighbors rescued their two dogs and emergency crews on the scene reviewed her son's favorite cat named Hemi.

She tells News 12 the miracle of Ernie's rescue is something positive for her family to hold onto as they rebuild their lives.

The family has sent up a GoFundMe to help recover from the fire.