Meet Drifter, the spirited cat who has made a miraculous return after spending nearly two months stuck in a sewer! This adventurous 3-year-old tabby belongs to Clifton Nesseth and Ashley Comstock from Duluth, Minnesota, a picturesque town just over two hours northeast of Minneapolis. The couple adopted Drifter while vacationing in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
Drifter, true to his name, wandered off on July 18 and disappeared without a trace for weeks. His family, including their 12-year-old daughter, April Dressel, launched an extensive search, putting up posters and increasing their hopes of finding him. Just when they were about to hold a small memorial service, some local kids shared that they heard meowing from a nearby storm drain.
The family quickly sprang into action, digging and cutting through landscaping fabric, when they suddenly heard a familiar meow from below. “A little paw shot out of a tear in the fabric,” recalled Nesseth. “We pulled more fabric, and then his head popped through!”
It’s believed that curious Drifter got trapped while exploring a hole that closed up around him. He likely survived on sewer water and perhaps a few mice. The family suspects he heard April calling for him during a walk and sought a way to be discovered.
A delightful video captured the moment of their reunion, showing Nesseth joyfully lifting Drifter, who was surprisingly thin. “Drifter! He’s been under there the whole time! He’s really skinny,” he exclaimed.
Thanks to his collar, they confirmed it was indeed Drifter. After the exciting reunion, he snuggled with April for the night. Drifter, who weighed 15 pounds before his adventure, had lost over half his body weight, now tipping the scales at about 6.5 pounds.
“He’s quite the foodie,” Nesseth noted. “We’re giving him fluids, and he even wants to eat from the syringe!”
Fortunately, Drifter is on the mend and is expected to fully recover according to the vet.
For more heartwarming cat stories, like one featuring a tabby named Skittle reuniting with his dog sibling after nine days apart, click here.
This article features contributions from the Associated Press.