Cat Miraculously Survives Building Collapse; Found Alive In Rubble 9 Days After Kentucky Tornado

A Kentucky man thought he would never again see his office cat after it disappeared when a swarm of tornadoes ripped through the state. But, a faint meow from the rubble of his collapsed office building nine days later instantly filled the man with the hope of reuniting with his beloved furry friend.

Sonny "Hoot" Gibson, of Mayfield, lost his three-story office building when the tornadoes hit the state on Dec. 10. Gibson's solid black cat, Madix, has been missing since then, the Associated Press reported.

Gibson heard a faint meow when he was standing near the rubble Sunday afternoon.

"I thought I heard a meow, and I thought my mind's playing tricks on me so I hollered his name out, and he meowed again," the man said.

He tried to follow the sound but couldn't spot Madix. So he asked some of his employees to help and they soon located the office cat under the rubble.

"It was just an incredible feeling to put him in my arms," Gibson said. "If cats actually have nine lives, he probably used up about eight of them in that nine-day period."

Madix was found in a hole beneath the rubble. To Gibson's surprise, the cat didn't have a single scratch or wound on its body.

"I don't know how anything could've survived not just the tornado but the destruction that came along with it," he said.

Before the tornado struck, Madix was a regular sight at the rental business and would greet customers that arrived at the office. Gibson is now planning to take the cat to his home.

The tornadoes, which also struck parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, claimed the lives of at least 91 people. Gibson believes stories like that of Madix's survival can provide some solace to storm victims who are recovering from the trauma.

"It's a blessing for people to hear the story so they can take that and realize that great things can come out of terrible situations," Gibson said. "If it's uplifting to one person, then Madix has served his purpose on this planet."