She cashed in one of her nine lives in this cat-astrophe.
A cat survived a terrifying 380-foot fall that killed her two owners at a popular Utah landmark, according to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Tourists Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, were exploring Inspiration Point at Utah’s picturesque Bryce Canyon National Park with their elderly tabby cat, now called Mirage, when they tragically fell on Monday night or early Tuesday morning. This incident was reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, referencing the sheriff’s office.
Mirage, believed to be around 12 years old, was discovered by hikers on Tuesday night. She was in a soft black pet carrier and surprisingly in good health near the site where her guardians were found, according to the outlet.
Nannen and Crane were identified by the sheriff’s office on Wednesday, according to CBS News.
The lucky cat sustained only two fractured canine teeth and a few broken ribs but astonishingly “seemed to have endured the fall quite well,” noted Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
“She was matted and a bit sore, but is friendly upon examination, as well as drinking and eating on her own,” the rescue told the outlet.
Mirage also had normal bloodwork, suffered no internal injuries — and is responding well to heaps of attention and regular head rubs, the sanctuary said.
Nannen and Crane appeared to be living out of a U-Haul and recently came to Utah from Arizona, with their last known permanent residence being in Florida, according to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.
It is not known how the couple fell, but they are thought to have crossed the guardrails at Inspiration Point, according to CBS News.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary will seek a relative of the deceased to take in Mirage and will seek an adoption home if that effort fails, the Tribune reported.
Inspiration Point offers three levels that overlook the rock formation known as the Bryce Amphitheater, the world’s largest collection of rock spires called “hoodoos,” according to the National Park Service.
