Family finds missing cat trapped in new staircase

Jan. 22 (UPI) -- A Norway homeowner's happiness at having a new staircase finished was short-lived when it turned out the family's cat was trapped inside.

The woman said she arrived home last week to find construction on a staircase inside her home was finished, but she and her family soon realized their cat, Sverre, was missing.

"I called his name 'Sverre' many times and after a while heard a weak meow," the homeowner wrote. "My kids Julie, 4 and Mikkel, 7 years old was at home as well, and when we realized the sound came from inside the stairs they started crying right away. I tried to calm them, but they were very scared."

The woman said her husband was out of town, so a neighbor came over with a drill to help free the cat.

The homeowner captured video of the rescue, which took about 45 minutes.

"He was in there for 5 hours, so I could have ended very differently," she wrote. "So glad he replied when I called his name! He must have gone to check out the area under the stairs when the carpenter was outside to cut the planks for the stairs."