20-Year-Old Blind Cat Gets Rescued From Frozen Lake Moments Before Disaster
Early one morning, a woman named Dawn spotted something alarming near the frozen edge of Nabnasset Lake in Westford, Massachusetts.
Out on the icy water, a tiny cat was fighting to stay above the surface, clinging desperately to a small chunk of ice.
The poor thing was about 30 or 40 feet from shore, and you could almost feel how cold and scared he must’ve been. Westford Animal Control shared in a Facebook post:
“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.”
Just imagine it: frozen water cracking all around, this tiny cat trembling and fighting to hold on.
Every sound of ice breaking must’ve been terrifying. It was like the world was counting down the seconds he had left.
The frigid water was rising steadily, leaving only the cat’s tiny head visible above the surface, as the animal control shared:
“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.”
Dawn didn’t waste a second. She called for help, and soon Westford Police were racing to the scene.
But before they even arrived, two local heroes, Chris and Nate, stepped up. They spotted the cat’s desperate situation and immediately came up with a plan.
Nate found a small rowboat nearby, while Chris helped push him off the icy shore and guided him from land. Animal Control later shared how these two worked together perfectly:
“Nate hopped into a nearby rowboat and Kris pushed the boat out as far as he could helping Nate navigate from shore. Nate was able to utilize a shovel as he moved, breaking through the ice.”
With the ice cracking and the cat’s chances fading, Nate reached the cat and scooped him up just in time.
When Animal Control arrived, the cat was in rough shape. His body was shaking uncontrollably, his temperature was dangerously low, and he was completely exhausted, as Westford Animal Control explained:
“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.”
Still, this little fighter wasn’t giving up. Beneath all that cold and fear, his heart kept going, and that made all the difference.
And here’s the part that makes this story even more incredible: the cat wasn’t a stray. A nearby family saw the rescue post online and instantly recognized him.
It was their cat, Tiki, who had gone missing the night before.
When they reached out, they revealed something that made everyone’s jaws drop. Animal control shared:
“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!!”
It’s believed Tiki may have slipped outside during the night, maybe chasing a sound or just getting a little too curious, and somehow wandered onto the ice. Whatever happened, it’s a miracle that he was spotted in time.
Today, Tiki is safe and warm back home, surrounded by the family who loves him so much. His rescue was the result of one passerby’s sharp eyes, two brave rescuers’ quick thinking, and a whole team’s compassion.
They didn’t just save a cat that day; they gave an old, blind soul a second chance at life.
