LAKELAND, Fla. (WSVN) — A veterinary clinic in Lakeland found themselves in a hairy situation when a cat checked himself out early.
George the cat turned into a feline fugitive when he broke out of his cage after a neutering appointment in Lakeland.
He dodged staff members and obstacles to bust out of the clinic, all while under the influence of anesthesia in his system.
“George was able to bust out of the trap, and he literally scaled some dog fencing and went into the woods. And our staff were literally hoisting each other up over the fences to try to chase George to capture him,” said Randa Richter from SPCA Florida.
“He was able to pop that cage open, and he sprung out of there, and he was gone in seconds,” said Bob Beasock, George’s owner. “The SPCA employees ran off into the woods to find them, and they’re not going to chase down a cat, and that’s not going to happen.”
Miraculously, George showed up at his owner’s home three miles away just days later.
“If I had gotten stuck at the SPCA, I would have called an Uber,” Bob said. “But George didn’t have that option. But coming back from there, he has to go through two or three subdivisions. He has to go around the lake, another lake that’s between us and the SPCA, and probably five or six roads.”
Certified Cat Behavior Consultant Joey Lusvardi explained the inner workings of George’s internal navigation system.
“They evolved to be able to naturally find their way back,” he said. “We think it’s due to a combination of scent, visual markers, and possibly geomagnetism.”
In other words, George really wanted to leave the vet and go home to his loving owner.
“Contrary to popular belief, cats are very attached to us, so they will want to find their way back home eventually,” Lusvardi said.
“So, I was distraught and heartbroken,” said Bob. “He needed a human touch, you know, and that’s what he got.”
George appeared to be completely unharmed when he arrived home.
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