Incredible Feline Triumphs Hambone Award After Astonishing Sofa Bed Mishap

After finding himself wedged between a cushion and an unforgiving surface, Giles, a charming black feline, emerged triumphant with a trophy in one paw and a few stitches in his side.

Outshining the competition in the 15th Annual Hambone Award, Giles faced stiff competition this year. Among the finalists were a daring Labrador leaping off a towering 36-foot bridge, a parrot caught in the unyielding grip of a slamming door, and a mischievous pup guilty of chewing through a phone charger.

Nationwide Insurance initiated the pet award program after a dog experienced mild hypothermia when it became trapped inside a refrigerator and consumed an entire ham. "Upon discovering him alongside the bone, we established this program," explained Heidi Sirota, President and Chief Pet Officer at Nationwide, to CNN.

"This inspired us to create the Hambone Awards for the most ridiculous medical claims that we have for the pets we insure," Sirota said.

Giles with his Hambone Award.

Courtesy Nationwide

Giles owners, Kaitlyn and Reid, have established a single rule for their New York apartment: "It is essential to ensure that Giles is not under the couch when reassembling it," Reid emphasized in a video concerning their notable achievement. During their parents' short visit, Reid promptly informed them about this rule.

Everything was going smoothly until his parents were getting ready to go to the airport. According to a news release about the award, while Kaitlyn and Reid were still sleeping, his stepmother and father decided to rebuild the sofa - however, they unintentionally overlooked checking underneath it beforehand.

"Something has happened, and were really sorry," Reids step-mom said, explaining Giles was trapped under the couch.

"The mechanism or whatever bopped him in the face pretty good," Reid recounted.

"We gotta take this cat to the vet, like, immediately," he remembered saying.

Giles injuries werent life threatening, however, the black cat required stitches.

He had a meow-ouch, Sirota said. "Hes doing much better now."

Although Giles was fine, his nine lives will never be the same.

Reid mentioned in the video that he has developed a specific fear of objects that have hinges.

The recipient of the Hambone award will be presented with a trophy, a gift card, and the chance to make a donation to a pet charity of their choosing.

"We highlight these stories because it shows how valuable having protection for pet through pet insurance can be," Sirota said. "And that is golden for most people."