The incident occurred in Vendin-le-Vieil, a small town in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France.
The black cat was discovered locked inside a property after the tenant vacated the premises on 4 March 2025, and it wasn’t freed until nearly a month later.
Neighbours’ calls for help unanswered
Despite the efforts of several concerned residents, repeated appeals to local authorities and services failed to produce a solution. Attempts to rescue the cat were thwarted by a lack of official support and unwillingness to fund the necessary intervention.
Neighbours first contacted the former tenant, who denied ownership of the cat. The property owner also refused to take action, citing the high cost of forced entry or damage repairs.
A Facebook alert helped draw attention to the cat’s plight, but approaches to the police and local animal welfare organisations led nowhere. With no official assistance forthcoming, two dedicated neighbours continued to care for the cat, passing food and water through the letterbox.
Rescue after weeks of waiting
Nearly a month after the ordeal began, the animal welfare association Les Given'chats was alerted to the situation. The group quickly escalated the matter, contacting local authorities, including the sub-prefecture.
Thanks to their intervention, police accompanied representatives from the association to the property, where the cat was finally freed on Tuesday, 1 April.
Now named Salem, the cat is safe and receiving veterinary care. He is reportedly underweight and may be suffering from a mild respiratory infection but is expected to recover well.
