The Daily Populous Saturday October 26th, 2024 evening edition
Authored by people.com and submitted by Sariel007

A family in North Carolina has been reunited with their pet cat after he was swept away in Hurricane Helene floodwaters.

According to a news release from the Best Friend’s Animal Society, the Burnsville family watched as their beloved animal attempted to climb to safety on a neighbor’s roof during the storm last month, before he eventually lost his grip as the roof floated downstream and disappeared from view.

However, the family — who had been forced to evacuate their property — returned to their home over a week later to find the cat, named Ricardo Blanco, waiting there.

Ricardo Blanco back home. Best Friends Animal Society

Nan Collins, the cat's owner, said that she and her family did not give up hope that they would eventually find Ricardo Blanco alive and well.

"He's doing fine, playing and doing all the normal stuff,” Collins told the Best Friend’s Animal Society.

She added, “His full name is Ricardo Blanco because he's like a little movie actor, so full of life and playful. He's like a puppy dog and wants to be beside you and take a walk."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

After he was rescued, Ricardo Blanco was treated for an ear and eye infection, as well as some ticks, through a free mobile vet clinic that was set up at a nearby shelter by the Best Friends Animal Society.

“There are so many stories just like that of Ricardo Blanco and his family throughout western North Carolina,” said Audrey Lodato, Director of Regional Programs for the Best Friends Animal Society.

“By opening a free mobile clinic, Best Friends Animal Society is working to fill a gap for services, providing basic veterinary care to the Western North Carolina community at no cost so that people and their pets can stay together during this difficult time," she continued.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Hurricane Helene devastation. Best Friends Animal Society

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26, leaving millions without power and over 200 people dead.

To learn more about how to help with relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Helene, click here.

be_sugary on October 26th, 2024 at 16:42 UTC »

Serious question.

They didn’t take the cat with them when being evacuated. Why not?

dinoboyj on October 26th, 2024 at 14:54 UTC »

Meow

dubukat on October 26th, 2024 at 13:42 UTC »

awwwww so wonderful and lucky!!