A CAT trapped for more than three weeks under floorboards is believed to have survived by drinking beer.

Dishevelled Leia was rescued from her ordeal earlier this month — with a half-drunk can of French lager close by.

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The 11-year-old moggy had vanished on April 11 — leading to her widower owner Ben Smith, 83, and his family putting up signs for her, as well as spending £1,000 on a pet detective to try to trace her.

But the answer proved closer too home as neighbours heard Leia crying under their flooring.

It is believed the exotic shorthair crawled into the floorspace while builders worked — and then got trapped when they sealed it again.

Leia, named after the Star Wars princess, was rescued, appropriately, on May 4 in Deal, Kent.

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Ben’s daughter Kelly Cooper said: “A half-drunk tin of beer was found and we wondered if she’d had a few sips from that.

“She could have also eaten small mammals, like mice, or insects, and quite possibly drank condensation from piping.

“We will never know how she survived all that time. But she had lost a third of her weight when she was rescued.”

Ben said Leia had been taken to a vet and, while dehydrated and traumatised, “was reasonably well, considering”.

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He added: “I’m euphoric, I’m so pleased to have her back.

“Leia has been my only in-house companion since my wife died. For her to go suddenly missing was dreadful.”