When a moving day took an unexpected feline detour in Franklin Square, New York, a family feared they had lost their beloved pet cat forever. Two weeks ago, as her owners packed up their second-floor apartment, a cat named Lola slipped through an open floorboard and vanished without a trace. Initial rescue attempts using camera-monitored traps failed as the elusive feline avoided capture at night, before suddenly disappearing altogether from sight.
The situation turned dire when animal rescuer John DeBacker—widely recognized on Long Island for wearing his trademark Catman T-shirt—tracked Lola down to a tight cavity behind a first-floor wall. The frightened feline had slipped between the walls, remaining trapped upside down for nearly five days while desperately nibbling on fiberglass insulation to survive. Facing a rapidly weakening animal, DeBacker knew standard rescue equipment would no longer suffice.
Working alongside a local contractor, DeBacker meticulously cut into the drywall using a quiet electric drill to prevent scaring the feline deeper into the house frame. Using an endoscopic camera to pin down her exact location, DeBacker guided his arm into the narrow opening. Video footage captured the dramatic climax as he grabbed Lola gently by her hind legs and steadily pulled the exhausted pet out backward to safety.
Lola emerged visibly shaken and tired from her ordeal, but she is now recovering safely alongside her relieved family. For DeBacker, who has spent 15 years rescuing distressed animals across New York, the successful extraction remains one of his most memorable operations. The tale serves as a stark reminder to pet owners everywhere to keep an extra close watch on curious animals during chaotic household moves.