Spencer’s Road Trip Adventure

Spencer the cat may have used up one of his nine lives on a road trip detour.

Spencer’s unexpected adventure began on April 26 as the pale gray tabby was riding along in a camper headed up Route 95 with the rest of his family, headed back from Florida to their New York home. His mom Ann Laubacker,  her 88 year old mother, a Pomeranian and the family’s three other cats rounded out the little group of travelers.

As the camper passed Harleyville South Carolina at mid day Ms. Laubacker found herself drifting toward the median and made a quick correction to the wheel, sending the camper out of control and causing it to tip over onto the passenger side and rip wide open.

Thankfully, the ladies emerged unscathed along with the Pom and two of the cats. A third cat, Dancer, described as a two year old gray tiger with a broken tail, ran off into the woods and has not been seen since. Spencer was not seen anywhere.

A wrecker came and towed the camper to a local garage and the ladies took the dog and other two cats and flew home.

That might have been the end of the road or the beginning of life as a stray for the 11 year old declawed Spencer but, as luck would have it, his journey came back on track when insurance adjuster Terry Walters inspected the camper ten days later, on Tuesday May 6.

Mr. Walters, not a cat lover, opened the door to the camper then jumped back in surprise as he was confronted by the little cat crouched in a corner between a wall and some duct work. He called Ms. Laubacker, who cried on the phone with relief as she confirmed that he had stumbled across her missing cat Spencer.

After cautiously picking Spencer up using a shower curtain, Mr. Walters took him along for the ride to his next job and says he thinks the cat, who did not struggle, may have been in shock.

Spencer’s apparent state of shock and docile behavior were no doubt compounded by the lack of food and water he endured while being trapped in the camper, all alone and far from anyone he knew.

Four hours after the initial rescue Mr. Walters dropped Spencer off at the Charleston Animal Society where he was examined and treated for dehydration.

Staff Veterinarian Brittany Tisa, shown in the photo above, found Spencer to be severely dehydrated and starting injecting fluids, and over the course of the next few hours he regained his strength. Fortunately, blood tests for liver and kidney function came back normal and Spencer was expected to fly home on Wednesday.

Ms. Laubacker was quoted in a local South Carolina paper as saying “I’m shocked. I’m so blessed that he has a guardian angel. I just assumed he had dropped out or run into the woods.”

Thanks to Mr. Walter and the Charleston Animal Society Spencer is returning to his familiar life with his family, and will hopefully not have any further adventures of this or any sort for a while.

Karen Harrison Binette

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