Unexpected Morning Visitor

A New Zealand fur seal broke into a marine biologist's home, casually entering through the cat flap as if it had a scheduled appointment. The seal seemed determined to bring Philip's work home with him. But in a twist of irony, the marine biologist was the only family member not home during this perfect marine emergency.

A Startled Homecoming

Philip's wife, Jen, returned from the gym around 7 AM to find the unexpected guest lounging comfortably on their couch. This wasn't exactly the welcome home she had expected.

The young seal, later named Oscar, appeared just as surprised to see Jen. In his shock, Oscar gallumphed off the couch and into a spare room, seemingly searching for some peace and quiet away from the commotion.

Coco the Cat's Great Escape

The family's cat, Coco, wanted nothing to do with this unusual houseguest. Upon seeing the seal, Coco quickly fled to the neighbor's house for safety. The feline clearly did not approve of sharing its territory with a marine mammal.

A Safe Return to the Ocean

Despite how tempting it might have been to keep Oscar as a pet, Jen knew what she had to do. She contacted the Department of Conservation, who came to escort Oscar safely back to his ocean home.

All's Well That Ends Well

According to Philip and Jen, Oscar proved to be a rather gracious guest during his short stay. And for those concerned about Coco, the cat has since returned home and fully recovered from the ordeal.

The incident left the family with quite the story to tell – one that Philip, the marine biologist, unfortunately missed experiencing firsthand. As he noted, this was really the only family emergency where having a marine biologist in the house would have been particularly useful.

Sometimes nature comes knocking at your door – or in this case, slipping through your cat flap – when you least expect it.