George the cat was at SPCA Florida to get neutered but when his caregiver went to pick him up, he had escaped his cage and disappeared into the woods.
LAKELAND, Fla. — A stray cat walked almost three miles back to the community he calls home after residents took him to a shelter to get neutered.
The orange cat named George lives in the Loma Verde complex near Scott Lake where residents feed, brush and care for him. A news release said neighbors would find him curled up in the same old chair every morning until one day they decided to get him neutered for free at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Lakeland.
When the caregiver went to pick him up after the procedure, George was gone as he “busted out of his cage and disappeared into the dense woods behind SPCA Florida.”
The staff promised to set live traps and keep and eye out for him while the resident left boxes of food out and called out for him.
Then, one Sunday morning, George was spotted in the caregiver’s carport “looking like he had just returned from a grand adventure.”
While he was a bit thinner, he was OK after his 2.7 mile trek back home, according to the news release.
“After a hearty meal and a good brushing, George settled down for the kind of long nap only a cat who has crossed roads, skirted lakes, and dodged countless dangers can truly appreciate,” the release stated.
George must’ve crossed several busy roads on his journey all while recovering from surgery, but his story shows the love and bond between George and his caretakers.
