It’s not every day that firefighters are called out to rescue a cat — but the tale of one determined moggy in Cork tugged at heartstrings and prompted a swift response.
The drama began on Saturday evening in Grange Manor, Ovens, just outside Ballincollig, when local homeowners spotted a cat stranded on the chimney breast of a three-storey house.
Concerned locals tried everything to coax the feline down, but despite their best efforts, the cat remained stuck.
As the hours passed and the cat’s cries grew louder, the rescue attempt stretched into Sunday. Still, nothing worked.
Finally, just before 8pm on Sunday evening, an SOS call was made — and Green Watch from Cork City Fire Brigade answered.
Arriving on the scene, the brave crew climbed ladders with a saucer of milk in hand, doing all they could to calm and catch the terrified animal.
When that didn’t work, firefighters carefully rolled out a hose and used a gentle spray of water to encourage the cat to move.
Dodging the spray, the cat scrambled down the back of the house and disappeared into the night — unharmed and free.
Onlookers who had gathered burst into applause, cheering the firefighters who had clearly helped the cat spend one of its nine lives.
Sub Officer Paul Murtagh of Cork City Fire Brigade said while animal rescue calls are rare, the crew responded out of concern someone might attempt a dangerous climb to help the cat.
“It could have ended very differently,” he said. “We’re just glad there was a happy ending.”
And for one very lucky cat, it was a narrow escape — by a whisker.
