For Rosy Clark, tragedy struck on Tuesday July 3rd 2018 when her beloved cat Dexter went missing. In many places around the world, cats are not subjected to the same dangers as in others, so they are not necessarily kept indoors. But when Dexter didn’t return home for food and water this day, she knew something was wrong. Where they finally discovered him 2 weeks later, no one could have expected.
Photo: Facebook Rosy Clark
“My cat hasn’t been seen since Tuesday and hasn’t come back for any food or water and I’m really worried about him. He answers to Dexter.”
Sharing posts on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, she pleaded with anyone living in the county of Devonshire, England to keep a eye out for the feline. She hung posters all over town and went door-to-door asking neighbors if they’d seen him.
Photo: Facebook Rosy Clark
For two and a half weeks she never gave up hope although there was no sign of Dexter. Her posts were shared more than 200 times, showing the support she was receiving from the community. The 26-year-old social worker and 4-year-old Tabby had been together since he was just a kitten and Rosy was heartbroken without him.
Having moved back in April, Rosy knew to continue looking in her old area just in case Dexter made his way back to his first home. Still, no luck.
Photos: Facebook Rosy Clark
Until one fateful Saturday night, 2 weeks later.
Rosy and her friend Charlie were sitting in the garden having a glass of wine, not something usually done. Around 9:00 pm, Rosy thought she heard a cat meowing. When she didn’t hear it again, she figured she may have been imagining sounds, obviously still distraught over Dexter’s disappearance.
Then at 11:00 pm she heard it again; and this time so did Charlie! They tracked down the sound and discovered Dexter crying and scratching from underneath a new construction build next door! The two searched and tried to free the poor cat until the early morning hours with no luck. They couldn’t find a way into the home or how the poor cat had gotten in.
Photos: Facebook Rosy Clark
Finally getting a hold of the local RSPCA and the fire department, they were able to find an emergency phone number for the builder of the homes. When the builder, Baker Estates, heard of the situation at 7:00 am, they gave the go ahead to “get the cat out by any means necessary”. With the help of one of the construction workers and a neighboring electrician, they carefully pulled bricks out of the foundation wall, one at a time.
And that’s when Dexter emerged; after going missing for 2 weeks!
Tears of joy flowed from an overwhelmed Rosy. Dexter’s eyes were also tearing up at the bright light he’d not seen in an unknown number of days. Rosy believes he must have found a water source while underneath the house as the rescued cat wasn’t showing any signs of dehydration. Dexter had lost some weight from the lack of food though and had a cut on his paw, but other than that has checked out healthy.
Photos: Facebook Rosy Clark
Rosy was happy to share the amazing news on her social media accounts, still shocked that Dexter was home safe.
“After an incredible rescue mission, drilling into the foundations of a new build, an electrician and a builder and several phone calls to various people…….we have saved Dexter from underneath a house where he had been built on top of. I am so so grateful to my operation rescue Dexter team and the happiest person alive❤️. Please share!!“
It is still a mystery just how he became trapped under the home. Construction workers surely would have heard a cat during building. Although cats can be EXTREMELY sneaky, almost ninja-like, it seems unlikely a worker would ignore a cat if he’d been spotted. Could this have been the point of entry after the workers had left one day?
Photo: Facebook Rosy Clark – the rescue after 2 weeks of being trapped
At least now Dexter is happily at home and he’s acting like nothing happened.
He is definitely enjoying snuggling on a comfy bed and spending time with his favorite human. Here’s he’s seen with sunshine warming his face when purrhaps he never thought he’d feel the warm rays again.
Photo: Facebook Rosy Clark
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My feral boy, Marble, got trapped under the house when my brother had to go under to turn off the water during a plumbing emergency, some months before he decided to be “tamer.” He was still skittish enough to hide from my bro when he opened the “hatch” to check for him, after we heard something big. We had been scared enough to call the plumbing company, to ask if they had had a “hitchhiker” on the truck, but the plumbers said that they hadn’t seen anything.
Finally, around 11 pm one night, we heard something BIG thumping under the house, and my brother opened the “hatch” again, and shined his flashlight into the crawl space. Sure enough, a pair of big, glowing eyes looked back up at him, and he stepped back, to let Marble come out without being spooked into hiding down there again.
Luckily he was in the middle of his “Winter Chunk” and while he had lost a couple of pounds, he quickly regained them.
“Winter Chunk” is what I call the weight he gains from about mid-Autumn to be able to handle winter. He definitely runs it off in the spring and summer, chasing prey.
OMG, so happy he was located and reunited with his mom in good condition. I hope he stays close to home and out of trouble from here on out. 9 lives; I think he is now down to 8.
God bless stheir good hearing..
Dex, please, next time take your mobile with you ♥
I wish, wish, wish people would keep their cats indoors unless they build a “catio”
structure for their safety. I did so and they love it and are safe from mishaps, getting lost,
struck by vehicles and attacked by predators. The birds and other fauna are also safe from them.
One of my cats was also lost for two weeks a number of years ago. I was so grateful when he turned up one evening, Perhaps he was locked in someone’s garage? I’ll never know.