A cat who escaped from an animal shelter and walked nearly three miles home has left staff and his owner stunned.
George the stray tabby pulled off a real-life Great Escape after a routine vet trip turned into an epic solo trek.
The community moggy, who lives in an apartment complex, was taken to an animal shelter to be neutered on April 6 – but he had other plans.
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Before the resident caring for George had a chance to collect him, he broke free from his cage, slipped into the woods behind the shelter and disappeared without a trace.
“When I returned to pick him up, I was met with a scene straight out of an old prison break movie,” his caretaker told What’s The Jam.
“Somehow, George – tough, stubborn, and full of fight – had busted out of his cage and disappeared into the dense woods.”
Staff at SPCA Florida, an animal shelter in Lakeland Highlands, Florida, spent days looking for the moggy and set traps in a bid to catch him.
And the devastated resident, who looked after George, returned daily while scanning the woods and calling out his name.
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They said, “Despite being a yard cat, he had become our friend, and the thought of him alone in the wild was tough to shake.
“The compassionate staff at SPCA Florida promised to set live traps and keep an eye out for him.
“Every day, I returned, my eyes scanning the tree line, hoping for a glimpse of his familiar, swaggering strut.
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“At night, I left boxes of food out, calling his name into the darkness, hoping the old boy would hear my voice and find his way back.”
To the resident’s shock, George was found two weeks later stretched out on a chair in the car park as if nothing had happened.
Incredibly, the moggy had trekked 2.7 miles across busy roads, parking dogs and a huge lake – all while recovering from surgery.
His caretaker said, “The trek from SPCA Florida to Loma Verde isn’t terribly long, but for a cat, it’s a formidable journey.
“George would have to cross several busy roads, slip past barking dogs, and circle the vast shores of Lake Victoria – all while recovering from surgery.
“Then, one Sunday morning, much to my overwhelming relief and disbelief, there was George, stretched out in his chair in our carport, looking like he had just returned from a grand adventure.
“He was a bit thinner, clearly hungry, but otherwise no worse for the wear.
“After a hearty meal and a good brushing, George settled down for the kind of long nap only a cat who has crossed roads, skirted lakes, and dodged countless dangers can truly appreciate.”
SPCA Florida staff say they’re in awe of George’s sense of direction and sheer determination.
They said: “We here at SPCA Florida are impressed with George’s navigation skills and desire to get home. Another happy ending.”
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