A remarkable survival story is giving people around the world a reason to smile after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela.
A 4-year-old cat named Félix was rescued after spending an astonishing 37 days trapped beneath the rubble left behind by the powerful 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that rocked the country in late June.
Félix disappeared when an apartment building in the coastal city of Catia La Mar collapsed during the quakes. His owner, Francis García, feared the worst.
In addition to losing his beloved pet, García also lost his father and another cat named Luca in the disaster.
On July 31, firefighters working in the disaster zone made an incredible discovery when they found Félix alive beneath the debris.
Félix fue rescatado de los escombros en Catia La Mar (Vargas) con extrema desnutrición y lesiones. Fue trasladado de emergencia al McDonald’s de Caraballeda, donde lo atendieron los Dres. Sebastián Ures y Ludeimar Rosendo. ¡Su dueña llegó a tiempo para abrazarlo!
— Seir Contreras (@SeirContreras) August 1, 2026
31 Jul 2026. pic.twitter.com/k3ntsPT2q9
The cat was rushed to a temporary veterinary clinic operating out of a former McDonald’s restaurant in the nearby town of Caraballeda. Veterinarians diagnosed Félix with severe dehydration, malnutrition and several injuries, but they were amazed he had survived for so long.
The emergency animal care center has been staffed by volunteer veterinarians who continue treating pets rescued from the earthquake zone.
A video capturing García’s emotional reunion with Félix quickly spread across social media, with many viewers moved to tears as the owner embraced the cat he thought he had lost forever.
“My cat means everything to me,” García said after the reunion.
In the middle of unimaginable loss, Félix’s survival has become a symbol of hope for many families still recovering from one of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters.
