Zombie Cat: Family Has Funeral and Buries Feline, Then He Wanders Home

It’s a moment that every pet owner dreads: finding the lifeless body of your beloved fur baby, maybe even having to explain the sad scenario to children, and then saying your final goodbyes.

One family, the Robinsons of Hope-under-Dinmore, Herefordshire, U.K., recently went through just such a scenario. As Metro U.K. reports, parents Jonny and Cat Robinson had been searching for their cat Willow for 10 days following a massive snowstorm. After scouring the neighborhood, the couple believed they found the remains of their 18-month-old kitty by the side of the road not far from their home.

The Robinsons said they thought it was their own tabby cat’s lifeless body due to the similarity of the dead animal’s fur.

“Jonny was absolutely distraught,” Cat told Metro. “He found a lump of fur which resembled a cat on the road and took it to the vet. It turned out to be definitely a cat and had similar markings to Willow, but it had been run over so many times it was difficult to make out.”

The Robinsons decided to give what they thought was their pet a proper burial and funeral, while their two young boys, Josh, 7, and Buddy, 4, watched on. They selected a spot underneath an olive tree in their garden to bury the feline.

Can’t get enough of cats, dogs and other furry friends? Click here to get the cutest pet news and photos delivered directly to your inbox. 

Still, the family wasn’t 100 percent convinced Willow was dead. They tried to remain hopeful and left out some food, just in case. Sure enough, some of the kitty chow began to disappear.

And then, one day, “Jonny came in holding Willow who was a bag of bones,” said Cat. Their pet was alive, though not fully well. He had a broken leg, and the family took him to the vet right away.

Safely ensconced with his owners once more, Willow is one lucky cat. As for the mistaken identity feline who currently resides six paws under in the Robinson’s backyard, its personal history is anybody’s guess.

“All we can say is that at least some animal has had a nice burial,” Cat told Metro.