‘Catman’ Rescues Feline Trapped Upside Down for Five Days
John DeBacker, known for his cat rescues, saved Lola after she became stuck behind a wall during a family move.
A Long Island resident, who goes by the moniker “Catman,” successfully rescued a cat named Lola after she had been trapped upside down behind a wall for approximately five days. John DeBacker, known for his extensive experience in feline rescues, executed the delicate operation in Franklin Square.
Lola’s ordeal began about two weeks prior to her rescue when she disappeared while her family was moving out of their second-floor apartment. She had slipped under a floorboard, leading to her eventual entrapment.
DeBacker and his team were called in to assist. Initially, they attempted to lure Lola out with a trap baited with food and equipped with cameras. However, Lola, emerging only at night, evaded the trap.
The situation worsened when Lola stopped appearing altogether. It was then discovered that she had fallen and become stuck behind a wall on the first floor. When found, Lola was trapped in an upside-down position, reportedly consuming insulation and growing increasingly weak.
On the Friday of the rescue, DeBacker, with the assistance of a contractor, began cutting a hole in the wall. An endoscopic camera revealed Lola's location. To avoid further frightening the cat and risking her retreating deeper into the wall, they switched from a louder electric saw to a quieter drill. "After two weeks we did not want to lose the cat again," DeBacker stated.
Video footage captured the moment DeBacker reached through the narrow opening, made contact with Lola’s hind legs, and carefully pulled her out backward. A woman’s voice exclaims "Safe!" as the dusty and exhausted cat is placed into a towel-lined carrier.
DeBacker described the successful extraction as an incredibly rewarding experience, noting, "We were all so happy."
He expressed astonishment at Lola's survival, stating, "It’s pretty miraculous that the cat survived there five days with no food or water. And when you’re upside-down, all the blood is rushing to your head."
Lola was subsequently taken to an emergency veterinarian, where insulation was found within her body. She has since returned to her family but is reportedly experiencing a poor appetite, prompting ongoing veterinary care.
DeBacker, a cat owner himself, advised other pet owners preparing for a move to secure their animals first, emphasizing that the stress of moving can cause pets to hide. "Secure the cats first and not after all the moving. The moving will scare the cat into hiding."