Bart the ‘zombie cat’ at centre of custody battle between his owner and Florida’s Humane Society

A CAT that crawled out of its grave five days after it was hit by a car and buried is now the subject of a legal tug of war.

‘Zombie cat’ embroiled in custody battle

AN American cat that crawled out of its grave after “dying” in a hit-and-run is now caught in a custody dispute between its owner and the agency that nursed him back to health.

Bart, nicknamed “zombie cat” on social media, made international headlines last month when he surfaced five days after he was hit by a car, presumed to be dead, and buried.

Bart recovers after jaw surgery and the removal of one eye.

“We have seen many amazing cases at our full-service veterinary clinic, but this situation may take the cake!” the Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB) in Florida posted on its website.

“Bart, (is) a 1.5 year old cat who was found by his owner after being hit by a car. (He)

appeared to be lifeless and the owner buried him.

“Five days later, the cat showed up in a neighbour’s yard, alive! He had dug himself out of the grave and slowly made his way back home, albeit weak, dehydrated and in need of medical attention.”

According to his blog, Bart meowed again for the first time just before this picture was taken

The animal was initially expected to return home after surgery at the society’s veterinary clinic, where he was treated for a broken jaw and facial injuries. He also lost an eye.

However, after receiving “new information about Bart’s home environment and the circumstances leading up to his burial”, the agency decided not to return him to owner Ellis Hutson, a Tampa resident.

Bart finishes his first bowl of tuna since undergoing jaw surgery

A furious Mr Hutson retaliated this week by filing a court motion demanding the society’s directors surrender his cat, accusing them of using Bart as a fundraising mascot, according to court documents seen by Reuters. Mr Hutson has been barred from visiting the cat or receiving updates about his condition, the papers state.

Bart puts on a brave face

“The owner reached out to area veterinary clinics but, unable to afford their fees, brought him to our Animal Health Center. Luckily, the injuries sustained were not more serious," the HSTB said on its website.

“The Humane Society of Tampa Bay does not intend to return Bart to the Hutson family. We are prepared to fight for the best interests of this cat. We hope the Hutson family will do the right thing and surrender Bart to our care so that we can find an appropriate environment for him to live out his life.”

Bart on the day his owner Ellis Hutson filed papers suing for his return

The story of Bart’s miracle survival has moved people from all over to world to donate money to cover his enormous medical bill. His recovery is being chronicled in a blog.

“We are not asking the Huston family for any money to cover any costs,” the society said in a statement.

In a later blog post, the society said animal welfare investigators were going to evaluate the Hutson home.

A welfare check was conducted at the residence, according to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. A spokeswoman said officers found two mixed-breed dogs in good health and there is no investigation.

Originally published as Bart the ‘zombie cat’ at centre of custody battle between his owner and Florida’s Humane Society