'Zombie cat' believed to be dead meows back to life, digs self out of grave

Thursday, January 29, 2015, 9:30 AM - A cat is recovering after being buried alive by his owner, who mistakenly thought he was dead.

Officials say the cat, Bart, was found lifeless earlier this month after being hit by a car in Tampa, FL. 

The owner soon buried him, but the cat managed to escape and was found by the owner's neighbour five days later. 

"I open the door and my neighbor's standing there with the cat in her hand," owner Ellis Hutson told ABC News. "She said, 'Bart is not dead.' I said, 'That’s impossible. We buried Bart.'"

Bart was taken to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for where he is being treated for a broken jaw, open facial wounds and a ruined eye. 

The Humane Society veterinarians expect him to recover and be able to return home after recovering a couple days.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the cat's medical expenses. 

With files from CNN

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