Drifter the Cat Finds His Way Home After Two Months in Sewer

A three-year-old tabby cat named Drifter has made a remarkable return home after nearly two months trapped in a sewer. Owned by Clifton Nesseth and Ashley Comstock from Duluth, Minnesota, Drifter had been missing since July 18, leaving his family heartbroken and worried. The Nesseth family, including their 12-year-old daughter April, searched tirelessly for Drifter, putting up posters and hoping for his safe return. Just as they were about to plan a memorial service, neighborhood children alerted them to meowing sounds coming from a storm drain at a nearby construction site.

With renewed hope, the family began digging and cutting through landscape fabric until they spotted a little paw reaching out. “A little paw shot out of a tear in the fabric,” said Nesseth, recalling the moment they first saw Drifter again. After a struggle, they were able to pull him out. It seems Drifter had gotten trapped while exploring and had been surviving on sewer water and possibly small rodents.

Dahlia Boberg, a 16-year-old neighbor, captured the emotional moment on video as Drifter was lifted into the air, with Nesseth exclaiming his name. The cat, who had lost a significant amount of weight during his ordeal—dropping from 15 pounds to just 6.5—was quickly recognized by his collar.

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