'The ice was cracking beneath him': 20-year-old blind cat wanders onto a frozen lake and almost drowns, but he gets rescued in the nick of time by two kind men

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Feb 19, 2025 10:00 AM EST

It's a pretty rough winter out there in some places. Sometimes, we don't notice, what with being inside - in the office or at home, cuddles up under blankets with our cats, keeping warm as the world gets covered in a blanket of white out there. But it's true. And it's important to pay attention. This winter, we have come across so many stories of cats freezing alone outside in these harsh winter conditions, and we want everyone to make sure that their cats are not going to join this list. 

It happens though. Cats are curious creatures, and they do manage to escape out sights every once in a while. Even this senior blind cat somehow slipped past its owner and ended up running out into the cold. This cat would have frozen had he not been rescued in time, that's a certainty. The woman who spotted him "floating" in the middle of the lake saw him drowning. It's a miracle that the kitty was saved, and we are thankful to everyone involved in the rescue. Now, we just have to hope that no more stories like these are going to come across our feeds any time in the future. 

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    Westford Animal Control This morning the Westford Police Department received a panicked call from a passerby who stated that there was a cat floating on a piece of ice in the middle of Nabnasset Lake. The cat was reported to be approximately 30-40 feet from shore off of Fletcher Lane and was circling the small piece of ice below him.
    via Westford Animal Control
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    While in route to the location, the reporting party stated that she could hear the ice cracking beneath him. The cat was now submerged in the water with only his head showing.
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469069312
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469068288
    via Westford Animal Control

  • There is so much that went into saving this little guy. So many people had to come together - everyone from the woman who spotted the cat and called for help all the way to the two men who put everything aside to get into a boat, break the ice, and get the cat. And we are thankful to each and every one of them. 

  • 05
    Moments before officers arrived, two good samaritans, Kris and Nate, who were working at a home on Fletcher Lane noticed what was happening and immediately took action. Nate hopped into a nearby rowboat and Kris pushed the boat out as far as he could helping Nate navigate from shore.
    via Westford Animal Control
  • 06
    Nate was able to utilize a shovel as he moved, breaking through the ice. He quickly accessed the cat and plucked him from the water moments before he surely would have succumbed to the frigid cold. The cat was taken indoors, toweled off and wrapped up in blankets.
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469070848
    via YouTube/NBC10 Boston
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    18 0731 Cabela's STRA
    via YouTube/NBC10 Boston
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    = ONY
    via YouTube/NBC10 Boston

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  • 10
    Upon our arrival, this neutered male was shivering, lethargic and in shock. We immediately transported the cat for veterinary care where his temperature was so low that it didn't even register on the thermometer.
    via Westford Animal Control
  • 11
    Unsure if he would pull through, we began urgently searching for his owners. This afternoon a resident from Birch Rd reached out stating they thought this may be their cat Tiki who had gotten out last night or early this morning. They were able to positively identify him and then informed us that Tiki is not only 20 YEARS OLD but is also BLIND!!
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469071104
    via YouTube/NBC10 Boston
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    Cheezburger Image 10469068800
    via Westford Animal Control
  • 14
    We believe that Tiki may have been chased onto the ice by a predator last night and found himself stuck on the ice floating straight across the lake through the night.
    via Westford Animal Control
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    This story is nothing short of a miracle from start to finish. We'd like to thank Dawn F. for her compassion and taking immediate action when she saw this cat in distress. And a huge thank you to Nate P. and Kris S. of Onyx Corp. for their quick action today. There is no doubt that we would not have made it in time to save this old man!
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469069056
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Author Westford Animal Control Tiki resting comfortably at home after his cold plunge
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469069824
    via Westford Animal Control
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    2834 Chapte Nabnasset Pond Ronan, Mcelligott Park
    via Westford Animal Control

  • All's well that ends well, that's true, but we do hope that the owner takes it as a lesson. From the sound of it, this kitty was an outside kitty - or at least, he was allowed to go into the wild world on his own. And although we know that changes are difficult for cats at this age, it might be worth it to keep him at home from now own, considering the circumstances. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10469068032
    via Westford Animal Control
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    Cheezburger Image 10469069568
    via Westford Animal Control

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