A cat missing for over three weeks was rescued from beneath the floorboards of a home in Deal, Kent, where she is believed to have survived by drinking beer and eating insects.
Leia, an 11-year-old exotic shorthair, vanished during nearby renovation work after reportedly sneaking under a neighbor’s open floor without being noticed. Her owner, 83-year-old Ben Smith, and his family launched a wide search effort, putting up posters and hiring a pet detective at a cost of £1,000.
Leia was finally discovered 23 days later when neighbors, after completing their renovation, heard faint meows and cut open a section of the floor to find her alive but severely underweight.
“She’d lost a third of her body weight,” said Mr. Smith’s daughter, Kelly Cooper. “A half-drunk tin of French lager was found next to her. We think she may have taken a few sips from that. She could also have eaten bugs or mice and possibly drank condensation from pipes.”
Noise from construction and a radio may have masked her cries for help during her time trapped.
Mr. Smith said he was “euphoric” after being reunited with Leia, who is now recovering at home.
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