20 Amazing Cat Rescue Stories from Hurricanes

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The United States of America has seen a rough start to the hurricane season this year. We’ve already seen some dramatic rescues which have taken place. People band together to help rescue their neighbors as well as total strangers. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, but what about their beloved pets? Sadly, many passed away in the recent catastrophic storm events, but we’ve also seen some dramatic cat rescues, captured on video and picture.

Here are 20 amazing cat rescue stories from hurricanes.

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1. Cats rescue during hurricane Harvey devastation of Houston, Texas in 2017

“Cats rescued from Houston-area home as citizens across Texas step in to assist emergency crews with rescues.” This picture says it all. The cat that has been housed in this cage joins the other victims of the fury of hurricane Harvey. The displaced cat was rescued by a group of good samaritans who combed through the rubble of the heavily flooded Houston area in search of animals who became stranded and in peril of harm as waters flowed through what was once streets and alley ways. Full story at ABC

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2. Cat wandering in shock after hurricane Harvey 2017

This cat was no doubt in shock and found wandering through the piles of debris that was left after the hurricane wrecked the city of Rockport, Texas. A neighbor who lived in the area saw that the cat was taken care of by providing him with food and water, which were scarce resources in the wake of the calamity. This was a common scenario in the town that suffered massive destruction from strong winds and flooding.   Via The Atlantic

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3. Pet owners struggle to keep their cats safe in Austin, Texas post Harvey 2017

Cat owners had a hard enough time getting to safety and finding emergency shelter. This family of evacuees made sure that their kitty was taken to safety with them. There was no choice but to shelter their cats in a crate while staying at the Delco Center emergency shelter. These cats were a few of the lucky ones. Not all pet owners were able to secure and save their animals and many have either gone missing in the event or have perished.   Via The Atlantic

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4. “Cats Rescued! Houston Residents Stay Behind to Help Save Stranded Animals From Flood Waters”

The hurricane that came rolling into Texas in 2017 was devastating for the people, but the great state is filled with cat lovers who could not stand to abandon these cats in their hour of need. Instead of relocating to a more comfortable environment, they were out wading through flood waters and debris to save these cats that were stranded because of the flood waters. These are the fortunate kitties that survived the torrents that flowed through the city streets. Texans came out in force to help neighbors and animals that needed to be evacuated from flooded areas. Via KTRK Houston

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5. Kitty survives with help from rescuers during Hurricane Ike

This kitten was drenched, cold and shivering but survived thanks to the efforts of a searcher that found him after hurricane Ike in 2008. You can tell by this picture that the kitten was in need of a good cleaning, food water and shelter. It looks emaciated after being separated from its’ family after the devastating hurricane left the region in shambles. The kitty is holding on tightly to the boot of the rescuer and is not going to let its savior leave him behind.

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6. Cat and businessman bond as survivors of hurricane Sandy

When Sandy devastated parts of New York, a thin cat was found wandering alone in Brooklyn. It was rescued and named Joy by the ASPCA. After a period of socialization, Joy was up for adoption. It took a lot of work on the part of the staff to help her to overcome her fear after her harrowing experiences with the hurricane, but eventually, she got there. Businessman Rob Curran heard about her story and he felt a need to come and see the brave kitty. He had lost everything in the storm. His home and business were gone. He adopted Joy and the two are making their home together as survivors of hurricane Sandy.

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7. Zoo owner holed up with a lion during hurricane Ike

Ike was a mega storm that ripped through the Crystal Beach area. and left New Yorkers in a state of devastation. Michael Ray Kujawa was a big cat lover. When the storm tore through the town and threatened the lives of people and animals, Kujawa swam through the flood waters with the full grown African lioness and made it to the Bolivar Peninsula Baptist church to seek refuge. Both he and the lioness waited out the fury of Ike until it was safe to go back outside.

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8. Pets 911 and Pet Point rally to find cat owners after hurricane Ike

Ike left a wake of devastation and it displaced hundreds of cats from their families. This is a touching picture that shows how much Pets 911 and Pet point really care about rescuing cats and other animals. The Disaster Response Pet Portal is their repository for caring for pets lost during the catastrophy and attempting to reunite them with their owners. The program is sponsored by the Houston APSCA

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9. Wrinkles the cat is a Hurricane Katrina survivor

It was 2005 when hurricane Katrina rolled into New Orleans and left a wake of devastation. There were thousands of cats and dogs stranded, unable to escape the rising waters. Best Friends of New Orleans organized a rescue effort to save the pets that seemed inaccessible. Wrinkles the cat was among them. He was a previously adopted cat who had found a loving home, but the catastrophe caused him to lose it all.

He was in such bad condition when he was found he required major dental surgery to remove all of his teeth. He made a full recovery and now serves as an amiable host for the center. He was honored in 2015 as being a ten year survivor of the storm. He joined a host of other survivors in celebrating. Wrinkles was just a five month old kitten when Katrina hit. He’s a beautiful Russian Blue and the workers at the Sanctuary home were happy to have him until he finds a forever home.

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10. Four people, two cats and an iguana survive Andrew in bathtub

This is a heartwarming story about a woman who attempted to evacuate prior to the onset of hurricane Andrew, but traffic was so dense that she couldn’t get out of town. She returned home and knew that the structure was not likely to survive the predicted devastation that was coming. She survived the incident, along with three other people, two cats and a pet iguana by jumping into the bathtub until the fury of the storm had passed them over. You can tell from the photograph that their survival was nothing short of a miracle as the home was destroyed by the high wind speeds generated by the storm.

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11. “The First Hurricane Irene Miracle at Sean Casey Animal Rescue”

This adorable kitten was the first official rescue for the facility that went out after hurricane Irene to save stranded and injured pets. The kitten was named Miracle and he was found in 2011 by a couple who were evacuating Coney Island. They found the little guy hiding underneath their car. The kitten received a complete medical examination by a licensed veterinarian. He was neutered, vaccinated and provided with a warm place to stay, food and water until he was adopted by his forever family.

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12. Kitten saved from hurricane Irene

This beautiful little kitty was named after the storm that devastated her neighborhood. Irene was so young that she had just opened her eyes. She was found in a restaurant ventilation pipe. The kitten had been making loud racket for three days without food or water before two ladies became concerned and asked for help in finding the source of the noise. A Svetlio’s mirror fishing rod was used to retrieve her from the pipe. As the rescuers worked to get her out, she yelled constantly. This showed the world how serious the newborn was about growing up to be a crabby old cat. She hollered all the way to the rescue shelter. She was placed with foster mom Teddy Kosturska who gave her foster care until she was placed with her forever family.

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13. Scooped from a raging flood of hurricane Irene

This lucky black and white cat was one of the fortunate ones. It was treading water in a state of shock and confusion. If it had not been for the efforts of the rescuers who braved the flooding in the streets of New Orleans, it would have drowned. The heat was extreme and this cat, along with other cats and kittens, clung to floating debris in between rounds of swimming from one object to another. There was no clean water to drink, nor food to eat in the toxic waters that flooded through the streets.

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14. Not all is lost

A picture truly is worth a thousand words. This little girl and her family are from North Carolina. When the horrific hurricane Irene hit, they lost their home and all of its contents. While some may say that they lost everything, the truth of the matter is that all of them were still alive and this included their beloved pets. It’s clear to see that the little girl who has her two cats, dog and rabbit with her in the emergency shelter has not lost everything.

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15. Molly the kitten saved from Irene

Molly was playing in the yard of a young woman who was just preparing to evacuate her home and go to shelter. Irene was bearing down on the and about to make landfall. When she saw the feisty little kitten, she couldn’t stand the thought of leaving her behind, even though it wasn’t yet her pet. She trapped the skittish kitty and named her Molly after the character played by Demi Moore in the movie “Ghost.”

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16. Thanks for the helping hand -It was all Wilma’s fault

This large eyed beautiful kitten sits in a rescue shelter with a towel draped over his frail little shoulders as he dries out from his recent rescue from the flood waters of hurricane Wilma. He was one of the fortunate little souls that was plucked from the water and delivered from a terrible fate. He joined hundreds of other cats, dogs and humans in temporary shelters that gave them the necessities for survival in the devastation.

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17. Cat saved by watercraft from hurricane Matthew’s flood waters

The Department of Natural Resources was out to perform multiple water rescues after the devastation caused by hurricane Matthew. They come across this poor weak cat that had been swimming in the flood looking for solid ground. Had the rescuers not arrived when they did, he wouldn’t have survived long.

18. “Harrowing cat rescue during hurricane Harvey”

We’ve seen a lot of suspenseful rescues since Harvey slammed into the state of Texas, but this is perhaps one of the more difficult ones. Two feral kitties were stranded by the flood waters. This rescue didn’t go exactly as planned. The waters surrounding the homes was very deep but it didn’t deter this cat lover from going after the endangered felines. This is truly a heartwarming story of the lengths that people will go to to rescue animals that are in distress.

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19.  Floating alone in a sea of unfamiliarity

This picture sums up the lay of the land after hurricane Harvey passed. Two cats found refuge on this piece of floating debris. They sit calmly on the makeshift raft until they are rescued. Animal rescue organizations are using them as the poster children for getting more contributions to fund their efforts to save animals distressed from the storm. Even after they are located, it takes a lot of money to purchase food and veterinary services to keep them healthy. The storm has taken a toll on the local pets who became separated from their owners.

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image sources

  • Harvey: © Shutterstock
  • ABC: © Shutterstock
  • Pet Rescues: © Shutterstock
  • Houston: © Shutterstock
  • Ike: © Shutterstock
  • joy: © Shutterstock
  • Lion Hurricane Ike: © Shutterstock
  • 12776: © Shutterstock
  • Wrinkles-Hurricane-Katrina-rescue-cat-0535KB: © Shutterstock
  • Andrew: © Shutterstock
  • Miracle, Kensington, Brooklyn, New York: © Shutterstock
  • Irene Cat: © Shutterstock
  • Flood Cat: © Shutterstock
  • girl_cat_irene_270x224: © Shutterstock
  • Molly: © Shutterstock
  • Cat Watches: © Shutterstock
  • RT_hurricane_matthew_slideshow1_cf_161010_17x12_1600: © Shutterstock
  • catsinflood-1: © Shutterstock

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