WESTFORD, Mass. — Officials in Westford say the daring rescue by two bystanders to save a blind 20-year-old cat from drowning in a half-frozen pond Monday was “nothing short of a miracle.”
Police received a call alerting them that a cat was floating on a piece of ice around 30-40 feet from short on Nabnasset Pond Monday morning.
The caller told police they could hear the ice cracking and the cat was now submerged up to its head as it circled the floating piece of ice.
Two bystanders, Kris and Nate, who were working on a nearby home on Fletcher Lane then jumped into action.
Nate hopped into a nearby rowboat and was shoved out onto the frigid water by Kris. Using a shovel to paddle into the middle of the lake, Nate was able to scoop the cat into the boat seconds before he would have “succumbed to the frigid cold,” Westford Animal Control said.
The shivering cat was taken indoors and wrapped in blankets, where responding animal control members quickly determined it had entered a state of shock.
“We immediately transported the cat for veterinary care where his temperature was so low that it didn’t even register on the thermometer,” Westford Animal Control shared. “Unsure if he would pull through, we began urgently searching for his owners.”
Later that afternoon, a resident on Birch Road called and identified the cat as “Tiki” their 20-year-old blind pet who had accidentally gotten outside overnight.
Animal Control officials believe Tiki was chased out onto the lake by a predator and found himself stuck on the moving piece of ice for hours.
By Monday night, Tiki was back with his owners and recovering.
“This story is nothing short of a miracle from start to finish. We’d like to thank Dawn F. for her compassion and taking immediate action when she saw this cat in distress. And a huge thank you to Nate P. and Kris S. of Onyx Corp. for their quick action today. There is no doubt that we would not have made it in time to save this old man!” Westford Animal Control shared on Facebook.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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