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Florida cat escapes vet after procedure, travels 3 miles back home: ‘I would’ve called an Uber’

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Published  May 15, 2025 9:59pm EDT
Lakeland
FOX 13 News
Cat escapes vet, races home

Cat escapes vet, races home

What started as a routine vet visit turned into an epic journey for one frisky feline. Evyn Moon reports.

The Brief

    • A Florida cat managed to escape from the vet and travel all the way home, which was three miles away.
    • George the cat had just been neutered and still had anesthesia drugs in his system at the time of the daring escape.
    • The tabby cat made it home days later, leaving everyone shocked.

LAKELAND, Fla. - What started as a routine vet visit turned into an epic journey for one frisky feline.

George the cat had just been neutered at SPCA Florida when he managed an incredible escape — breaking out of his cage, scaling fencing and vanishing into the wind. Staff at the clinic tried everything to catch him, even hoisting each other over fences, but George was already on the move.

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What they're saying:

"He was able to pop that cage open, and he sprung out of there — gone in seconds," said his owner, Bob Beasock.

Pictured: George. 

At the time of his escape, George still had anesthesia drugs in his system, making his dash for freedom all the more surprising. 

"He still had silly drugs in his system," said SPCA staff.

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But days later, the adventurous tabby shocked everyone — he somehow made it back home, three miles away.

Pictured: George the cat with his owner. 

"He had to go through two or three subdivisions, around a couple of lakes, and cross five or six roads," Beasock said. "If I had been stuck there, I would’ve called an Uber. But, George didn’t have that option."

Dig deeper:

"Cats evolved to naturally find their way back," said certified cat behaviorist Joey Lusvardi. "We think it’s a combination of scent, visual markers, and possibly geo-magnetism."

But, it wasn’t just instinct — it was love. 

Pictured: George the cat with his owner. 

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"Contrary to popular belief, cats are very attached to us," Lusvardi added. "They will want to find their way back home."

Beasock agreed. 

"I was distraught and heartbroken," he said. "He needed a human touch — and that’s what he got."

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Evyn Moon. 

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