Cats Found Hiding in Kansas Home's Wreckage Nearly a Month After It Exploded

Mr. Tibbs and Kunimitsu are shaken but expected to make a full recovery.

A Kansas woman didn’t think she would see her cats ever again after her home exploded but when a bulldozer came through the wreckage three days later, both Mr. Tibbs and Kunimitsu were found alive and well.

Ashley Nadeau of Topeka lost her house last month in an explosion. A thunderstorm had knocked trees and power lines into their home, and when they lost power and began to smell a strong odor, they evacuated.

Not even an hour later, the house was consumed in a blast.

They lost all their belongings, and fearing for the worst, Nadeau assumed their cats, Mr. Tibbs and Kunimitsu, also didn’t escape the explosion.

Nadeau had all but given up hope when the fire department called her weeks later, saying they found Kunimitsu hiding in a pipe as the bulldozer arrived to level the wreckage. While a little shaken, authorities said Kunimitsu was fine and they had taken her to the veterinarian.

“She was looking freaked out,” Nadeau told InsideEdition.com. “She was covered in dirt. I could barely recognize her at first.”

Initial blood tests confirmed most of her wounds were superficial and Kunimitsu is expected to make a full recovery.

Regaining hope, Nadeau enlisted a friend to do one last sweep of what was left of her bulldozed home to see if they could track down Mr. Tibbs, calling his name into the rubble.

“I heard him meowing,” she said. “It took me and my friend Melissa probably an hour or two to dig him out – we had to balance on a lot of debris.”

Except for singed ears, Mr. Tibbs was also declared to be in good condition and expected to make a full recovery.

“My daughter’s father, Nathan, came and got my dogs before the explosion too, so we are all so lucky to be alive,” Nadeau said.  

The family is now living in a hotel as insurance companies assess the damages.

To support the family, visit their GoFundMe page.

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