Man saves cat from Hurricane Ian in dramatic viral video and decides to keep him

As Hurricane Ian battered Bonita Beach in Florida, a frightened-looking orange and white cat sat stranded on top of an air conditioner unit.

Jumping down to safety wasn't an option for the kitty since a dangerous strong current of knee-deep water flowed along the ground. 

Thankfully Mike Ross, whose parents own a nearby beach house, happened to see the predicament and he decided to take action. 

Watched by his girlfriend Megan Cruz Scavo, the 29-year-old waded over to the cat before taking a few moments to gently take it into his arms and ensure it was safe and secure.

As the cat held tight, Ross was able to make his way to drier land, his every move being captured on a phone camera by his mother, Marybeth Ross. “Look at Michael saving the kitty. Awww!,” she says.

Since then, Ross has become something of a hero. His girlfriend posted the video on Twitter with the caption, “My boyfriend saving a cat from flood water near Bonita Beach”, and it has been viewed more than 3.6 million times.

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The cat – now named Ian after the hurricane – is currently being looked after by Ross and his family to the delight of viewers – 195,000 of whom liked the video with 20,500 retweeting.

Since then the family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help restore their home which was battered by the category four hurricane which has caused two million people to lose power as it moves inland.

It has been one of the most powerful storms in US history. “We are donating half of the proceeds to the Humane Society Naples in honor of our miracle cat, Ian,” Cruz Scavo wrote in a tweet.