Hong Kong  - A pet cat has been rescued after being trapped inside a gas pipe for 12 days in Hong Kong, a news report said Friday.

The cat named Meow-meow was found after faint mewing was heard coming from a gas pipe behind the wall of the restaurant run by his owner, the Hong Kong Standard reported.

The fire brigade was called by a rescue team from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and drilled into the wall to free the cat.

After firefighters drilled for one hour, the frightened tabby cat squeezed out of the pipe and into the arms of owner Yeung Ming, according to the newspaper.

Yeung said his pet was in good health despite his ordeal. "We didn't have much hope of finding Meow-meow after he disappeared for 12 days," Yeung told the newspaper. (dpa)