Phoebe's Big Adventure: A Story of Feline Survival

September 30, 2020 Debra Roberts

Phoebe's our sweet F5 Torbie Savannah girl. Her spots are concealed within her unique autumn-leaf ginger coat, and she has the most amazing personality. She is the full sibling to our other F5 Silver Savannah girl, Calypso. Phoebe was born on 6/21/17 and is a full littermate to our silver F5 silver girl, Calypso. We got a late start with this little one, as she'd been with her breeder, Paul Casaudoumecq, until coming to live with us on 10/24/18. We never imagined having three, let alone four Savannahs! Phoebe needed a home, and where better than with her sister? What led to her coming to live with us is quite the tale.

This is Phoebe’s incredible survival story.

Phoebe spent ten days balancing on a high tree branch after escaping out the door, running across many acres, and scaling an out-of-reach, unusually shaped tree. Paul Casaudamecq, her breeder, couldn't locate her for four days before finding her in that tree! Being an experienced climber, he used his gear in an attempt to reach her, making it to the junction of the trunk and the branch. But the branch couldn't hold human weight. He made multiple trips daily to coax and feed her by hoisting a laundry basket on a rope containing raw chicken. Phoebe (then known as "Patches") couldn't muster the courage to traverse the thready branches and steep decline to get to the basket. Day after day, Paul tried to lure her down, to no avail--all the while telling me, "She's coming to live with you when I finally get her"!

We'd always had a soft spot for this girl from when we visited Paul's cattery to bring home Calypso and our F3 boy Titan. I always asked about "Patches" and if she'd found her forever home. It was clear that she belonged with us--if she were to survive this ordeal. I felt terrible for not giving her a home sooner, which would've avoided her being in this situation. This experience drives home how easily these cats can escape. Paul always says to me, "It's not a matter of IF they escape; it's a matter of WHEN." He's very right... we've already had Titan dash out the front door once when it was least expected.

As the days lingered on, the outcome seemed more and more grim. Paul kept me updated each day on the progress--or lack thereof. And each day, I became more worried. On the tenth day, I received the dreaded message from Paul saying: "She's no longer in the tree. I'm going to grab Penny (Paul's tracking dog) to see which way she went". My heart sank, and I called my husband to give him the sad news. It wasn't 30 minutes before I heard from Paul again. He said, "You aren't going to believe this, but I just found her in the barn, sleeping on top of my golf clubs"! I couldn't believe it! She was alive, healthy, and unscathed, having lost roughly four pounds. After a visit to the vet, Phoebe was on a plane to Ohio about a week later!

Phoebe was calm on the ride home with me and during her days of quarantine in our master bathroom as if nothing had ever happened to her. Her only stress was the other three cats hissing, growling, and trying to get in the room to see her. It was apparent she was tough as nails and used to being around numerous cats; nothing phased her, especially after what she'd been through, spending ten days stuck in a high tree! Phoebe definitely used two of her nine lives while stranded in that tree. One when she escaped out the door, scaled the tree and went for ten days without food and water. The second was when she [likely] fell from the tree and returned to safety in her weakened state. She's a fortunate, well-behaved girl and the model house cat. She doesn't meow; she squeaks from, we suspect, having lost her voice meowing for help all those days. She enjoys an occasional walk on the cat wheel but is content to relax. She's awkward on a harness but will wear it if she can lay in the grass and catch bugs. She's been the perfect addition to our Savannah family.

When I picked Phoebe up at the airport after a full day of flying with two connections, she immediately started to purr in her crate. Phoebe was very calm on the ride home and in our main bathroom during her days of quarantine. It was as if nothing ever happened to her. Her only stress was the other three cats hissing, growling, and trying to get in the room to see her. It was apparent she was tough as nails and used to being around numerous cats; nothing phased her--especially after what she'd been through spending ten days stuck in a high tree! Phoebe used two of her nine lives while stranded in that tree. One when she escaped out the door, scaled the tree and went for ten days without food and water. The second was when she [likely] fell from the tree and returned to safety in her weakened state. She's a fortunate and thankful girl who's perfectly well-behaved and the model house cat. She doesn't meow; she squeaks. She enjoys an occasional walk on the cat wheel but is mainly content to relax. She's awkward on a harness but will wear it if she can lay in the grass and catch bugs. She's been the perfect addition to our Savannah family.

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