Even taking into account the number of lives cats are supposed to have, Blitz is one very lucky moggy.
He used up all nine — and scores more — when he found his way into a north London Tube station and spent seven hours cowering on the tracks as at least 250 trains thundered over his head.
Despite being injured by one train at the start of his ordeal, he survived and was eventually rescued.
It is believed Blitz somehow squeezed past the ticket barriers at Tufnell Park Tube station and went down the escalator without being spotted. After wandering into the tunnel, he was struck by a train. In the following seven hours, a further 250 Tube trains passed over him.
Transport for London said it sent its emergency response unit after being called out to an “unusual trespasser” on the tracks last Thursday morning. It said Blitz was found between the running rail and positive rail, with staff initially unable to tell if he was alive. The service was delayed for about five minutes as the cat was rescued from the tracks.
Blitz’s owner, Mark Piggott, praised the “top quality” staff at Tufnell Park for rescuing him. Mr Piggott, a journalist and author, wrote online: “How the f*** did my cat make his way down onto the track at Tufnell Park tube, get hit by a train have 300 other trains go over the top of him cause the line to be suspended so they could rescue him after seven hours and live? On me birthday?”
Sean Kelly, part of the team that rescued Blitz, told him: “We were so happy to get it out safe and sound. Hope he makes a fast and full recovery.”
Blitz is chipped and was reunited with Mr Piggott with help from Tufnell Park’s customer service manager Dave Keenan. The cat is understood to have a broken back and to have lost part of his tail. Mr Keenan said: “To survive almost seven hours in a tunnel lying on the track and have some 250 trains go over it is nothing short of a miracle.
“Blitz’s owners came into the station the following evening to tell us how grateful they were to the ERU and the station staff for saving him, and that he was doing well and recovering at a vet.”
