Cat survives being trapped under floorboards for two months in Eastbourne

Eight weeks after three-year-old Thor went missing from his home near Hampden Park, Eastbourne, his owner Bianca Burchett was on the verge of giving up hope.

But builders renovating a nearby house found the black and white cat after hearing a faint meow from under the floorboards.

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The builders rushed Thor, who weighed just 2.4kg and could barely breathe, to a vet who covered him in bubble wrap and put socks on him to keep him warm.

Thor spent ten days in intensive care and seven months of further treatment at St Anne’s Vets in Eastbourne.

Cat survives being trapped under floorboards of derelict house for two months

Clinical director Simon Devile said Thor was “completely collapsed” and “cold to the touch” when he arrived at the vets.

“His mucus membranes were extremely pale, and his capillary refill time was over three seconds, which is very bad,” he said.

“His pupils were dilated and not reactive to light, his heart rate was only 10bpm while his blood pressure and temperature were too low to register.

“We were all shocked and honestly didn’t know how he was still alive.”

The vets gave the cat an oxygen mask, heat pads, knitted socks and wrapped him up in bubble wrap in an attempt to save his life.

After seven months of treatment, including teaching the cat how to eat again, Thor made a full recovery.

Cat survives being trapped under floorboards of derelict house for two months

Bianca, 34, said she began to worry quickly after Thor went missing as he was rarely out for more than an hour at a time.

“We all panicked,” she said. “We had 300 fliers printed and put them up all over the neighbourhood, we knocked on doors.

“Eight weeks later, a builder working on a house across the road came and knocked on my window. My heart was pounding, and I was in shock; I couldn’t believe it.

“When I walked in, the builders were ripping up the floorboards and then they pulled out this tiny, painfully thin cat and I just burst into tears.”

Cat survives being trapped under floorboards of derelict house for two months

Bianca said the vets warned her how close to death Thor was and that he may still have brain damage.

“Three days after he was found, we were finally able to see him and give him a cuddle. My husband and I shed so many tears, but it was all worth it,” she said.

“To see him come back to life and watch him slowly return to being his usual self again has been incredible. I honestly don’t know how he made it. It really is amazing.”