A “miracle” kitty accidentally trapped under a neighbour’s floorboards for five weeks is believed to have survived by eating spiders and licking condensation from pipes.

Russian blue Arthur had lost half his body weight by the time neighbours were alerted to his distressed mewing and pulled up the floor.

His owner said the four-year-old moggy used up more than one of his nine lives after disappearing from their Ramsgate home on June 8.

Jo Rymill posted on social media, knocked on doors and stuck flyers to lamposts but never thought she would find her missing pet so close to home.

After five gruelling weeks, the owner of a holiday let three doors down posted a voice message on the neighbourhood Whatsapp chat saying the tenants in her property had heard meowing from under the floor.

Within 12 minutes, the neighbours descended on the property and pulled up the boards, rescuing a very skinny and dehydrated Arthur.

His grateful owner, who was queuing for popcorn at the movies with husband Ian when the news came through, recalled: “We got straight out of the cinema, jumped in the car and raced home.

“They started sending pictures and on the way home I was saying ‘Omg it's him it's him’.

“I thought in five weeks there's no way he would have survived that because logically how could he?

“The first thing I did was burst into tears.

“I came out and all the neighbours were standing there holding him and it was the most amazing feeling. I still can't believe he’s with us.”

The bedraggled feline was rushed to an emergency vet in Herne Bay and placed on a drip for 24 hours.

He had lost 50% of his body weight and was covered in dirt.

At first, it was touch and go whether Arthur would survive and Jo was unsure whether he would make it through the night.

The 55-year-old recalled: “At the start, we were really worried his kidneys would have gone.

“The first round of blood tests on Friday night wasn’t very good, but the next day they settled out.

“He didn't smell very good because he had been trapped so he just smelt like a ball of ammonia.

“When they are healthy their hair is just like silk, but his is still full of dust and he's not really well enough to properly clean himself yet.

“The back half of him had deteriorated muscle wise so he has lost pretty much all the strength in his back legs.

“When you stroke him you can feel all his tiny little ribs and his spine.”

Explaining the vet was “flabbergasted” Arthur survived his ordeal, Jo said: “It's more than a miracle – nobody can believe he survived for five weeks.

“I would say he has used up more than one of his nine lives.

“I certainly don't think he would have lasted much longer if they hadn’t found him.”

In a desperate search, Jo searched for Arthur inside the property two days after he went missing, but he didn't make a sound.

“I think he must have got in there on the Thursday night or on the Friday and then the boards were put back down later,” she said.

The house where he was found was undergoing renovations, and decorators had removed the panels around the time he got lost.

The Ramsgate resident added: “He must have been in there the whole time because if he was anywhere else and wasn’t trapped he would have come home.”

She thinks he may have had small bugs or mites to eat down there, and some condensation off pipes under the floor to drink.

Those living on Brockenhurst Road were vital in rescuing her four-legged friend.

The interior designer explained: “This is the best street to live in. It’s quite short and everyone knows each other. Almost everyone has a pet.

“The message went out and everyone went ‘oh my god’ and descended.

“If we weren’t all so close, nobody would have known who to contact.

“The speed of getting him out is what saved him really.”

Four-year-old Arthur is “incredibly loved” and was sorely missed by not only his humans but his sister from the same litter, Florence.

Animal lover Jo said: “She was really distraught.

“She was walking around crying and looking for him all the time trying to find him.”

Following his accidental imprisonment, Arthur was clearly traumatised. However, within half an hour he was purring and meowing to his owner.

“He has the most resilient personality”, she added.

At first, Arthur was desperate to gobble down as much food as he could in one go and had to be fed little and often.

He is now doing much better, but the next step is building up his strength and weight.

Jo wants to thank the Facebook groups in which she shared her plea.

Thanet Animal Lovers Chat, Animals Lost and Found in Kent and Missing Cats and Strays in Thanet were helpful in sharing, commenting and keeping an eye out for her lost pet.

“I had thousands of comments and messages. It was just - I cannot express how grateful I am.”

She would also like to remind owners to make sure their pet’s microchip is up to date, and if they ever go missing, to register them as that on the database.