Blog

Jan 07, 2024

Cat sent to Summerside dump inside old couch rescued from crusher at last second

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — When Candace

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — When Candace Clow realized her old couch went to the dump with her cat, Oliver, accidentally hidden inside, she was worried the three-year-old feline could be a goner. Still, she never gave up hope.

"If I hadn't heard anything by the next morning, I was planning on going right to the dump myself," said Clow, of Lennox Island.

What could have ended in disaster for her beloved pet wound up having a happy ending. Just before the couch the cat was inside was set to be crushed, the feline was discovered by an employee who had heard about the missing pet the morning before his shift.

‘We tried everything to find her': Heidi, a cat with a heartbreaking backstory, returns to St. John's couple after nearly three years

Missing cat found after owner overhears meow on phone call

Clow's animals have been known to disappear when visitors come into the house, and hiding inside sofas is a common occurrence.

But when the old couch was taken away upon the arrival of a replacement, Clow had not considered that one of her cats would crawl inside it, joining it on a journey to the waste facility at Summerside's industrial park.

As it was going out to the truck, the furniture was jostled and moved so much Clow doubted a cat would still be inside at all – let alone without a noticeable fuss.

A few hours later, erring on the side of caution, Clow did a head count and realized one of her furry companions was absent.

"We tore apart the house," she said. "Couldn't figure out where he was."

She contacted Furniture Gallery, who confirmed they had delivered the couch to the dump – by the time Clow called the facility, they were closed.

"I was like, ‘Oh no, what do I do?’"

Desperate to find Oliver, Clow made a social media post asking people in Summerside to keep an eye out. A few of her friends who live in the city even went and looked for him in the area, to no avail.

"I was a mess," she said. "(Oliver's) brother had went missing in December and we still never found him. I was like, I can't go through this again, I can't lose another cat. I’m surprised I even slept that night."

The next morning, Clow received a message from one of the employees at the waste facility. Her cat was rescued – found alive and well.

"I started bawling. I started crying right away. I was just so happy."

Upon driving to Summerside and reconnecting with Oliver, Clow learned that he had been spotted moments before the couch was set to be crushed.

"That's how lucky he was."

Although the cat was fine, Clow noticed he was a little sore and more stiff than usual – likely from clinging onto the couch to avoid being tossed around inside. Upon returning home, he was skittish and lethargic but after a few days, he returned to his usual self.

"I guess, lesson learned, to make sure that our cats are all accounted for if anything like that ever does happen again," said Clow. "It's something I’ll always remember. I’ll be telling my grandkids about this."

Kristin Gardiner is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. She can be reached by email at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @KristinGardiner.