Florida of the day: “Zombie cat” digs out of his own grave

I fear neither Florida Man nor Florida Woman, but Florida Zombie Cat scares the crap out of me.

Bart, a Tampa cat, was hit by a car and presumed dead by his owner, Ellis Hutson. “I cried, I was devastated,” he said. “I couldn’t even bury him. I had to have a friend do it.”

You’d think the story would end there, but this being Florida, it didn’t. Five days later, Bart dug his way out of the grave and was first seen walking around by Hutson’s neighbor Dusty Albritton. “There he is, just purring and looking up at me,” she said, “All dirty. This cat is dead. I know he was dead.”

Although alive, Bart was in bad shape, with deep wounds, a broken jaw and a cracked palate. Bart went into surgery at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, the costs for which were covered by the Save-A-Pet fund which is meant for emergencies like this one.

Here’s local news coverage of Bart the Zombie Cat:

Video courtesy of WFLA News Channel 8.

Here’s how far Bart is from me:

Welcome back to the land of the living, Bart! Please don’t eat my brains.

Bart the Zombie Cat is alive thanks to the Humane Society of Tampa’s Save-A-Pet medical fund, which covers the cost of veterinary care for pets whose people are experiencing financial hardship. By giving to this fund, you’re not helping pets in need, but the people who love them. I’m sending a little money their way, and if you got some to spare, could you please do the same?