A FRIGHTENED and weakened cat found alive beneath the rubble of a collapsed residential building in Venezuela has become a symbol of hope after a volunteer rescuer described the discovery as a rare moment of light amid the devastation caused by deadly earthquakes.
The cat was rescued on July 18 during a search operation at a housing complex in the coastal state of La Guaira, the region hardest hit after back-to-back earthquakes struck the South American nation on June 24.
AFP reported on Sunday that over 5,100 people were killed in the disaster, with rescue teams continuing efforts to search through collapsed structures and assist survivors.
Volunteer rescue worker Andres Carvajal said he spotted the cat while searching through the remains of the destroyed building.
“We saw the cat, it got scared and went back inside, deeper into the building,” Carvajal told AFP.
It remained unclear how long the animal had been trapped beneath the rubble.
Carvajal, a 21-year-old university student involved in volunteer rescue efforts, said he removed his glove and used food to slowly gain the animal’s trust.
“I went in, took off my glove, put some cat food on my arm... It gradually came closer and, of course, ate with a bit of desperation,” he said.
Carvajal, who had written “el gato” — meaning “the cat” in Spanish — on his helmet, said the name had been his nickname since elementary school.
He and fellow students from the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas formed an association to support rescue operations following the earthquakes.
After being removed from the rubble, the cat was taken to a temporary rescue camp where veterinarians provided treatment. It was given fluids, cleaned and later transferred to a shelter for further care.
“I’m very happy we found it,” Carvajal said.
“It’s impossible not to feel empathy for any life that’s here. And finding this little cat is obviously a ray of light, a ray of hope.” - July 19, 2026
