An 18-year-old cat was able to survive for 40 days under a snow-covered deck, much to the amazement of her P.E.I. owners.

Bubba lives with Howard Hogan and Lucina Costain in St. Felix, on the western tip of the Island.

One day in January, Bubba went under the step for a bathroom break, but then she seemed to disappear.

Her paw stuck out and she meowed, and well, I near fainted. - Howard Hogan

Hogan said he and his wife looked for her, but thought she had run off or been killed by a coyote.

The weeks passed, the snow fell. Close to three metres of snow has fallen on the Island since the end of January.

But from time to time Hogan thought he heard meowing.

So finally he decided to spend half an hour digging through the snow to a hole under the step.

He thought it was a long shot.

"I thought I heard something and, sure enough, her paw stuck out and she meowed, and well, I near fainted," Hogan said.

"Lucina was looking out the window, and I told her, I yelled, 'The cat is alive!' And she come out running."

Bubba's veterinarian told Hogan not to feed the cat too much at first

Hogan said he believes Bubba survived because she was a little on the chubby side when she went missing. He also thinks she likely had access to melted snow and maybe mice under the patio.