The number of stray cats increases daily, and sadly, their futures often look bleak. 

However, the biggest issue is that they encounter numerous challenges on the streets, including getting stuck in the most unusual places. 

Luckily, this kitten’s desperate cries were heard just in time.

Recently, Pittsburgh Police in Pennsylvania received an urgent call about an animal in need.

When officers arrived at the intersection of Lilac St. and Murray Ave., they could hear faint meows coming from a storm drain. 

Realizing that a tiny kitten was stuck between the storm drains inside a pipe, desperately meowing for help, they instantly launched a rescue mission.

The officers reached out to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, whose crew responded right away and removed two drainage grates from the street. 

However, a new challenge arose when the Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS assessed the situation and determined that rescuing the kitten from the surface would be nearly impossible.

All teams had to think fast and act swiftly in order to save the young kitten’s life. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem for them. 

The Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS Crew Chief put on an air supply and descended into the main drainage line.

They planned to flush the line with a small amount of water to move the kitten out of the lateral line into the main, where it could be safely retrieved. However, their mission wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be.

Their plan only partially worked; the kitten was pushed into the main line, but it was still out of the paramedic’s reach.

Determined not to give up, the rescuers use various tools to reach the kitten and gently capture it with a net provided by animal control.

Finally, after a lot of hard work and effort, the rescuers successfully retrieved the kitten from the pipe. 

A vet determined the kitten was only two to three weeks old, and appeared to be in a dire state. Fortunately, the vet check-up revealed the kitten was uninjured despite looking soggy and scared. 

The kitten was immediately handed over to Pittsburgh Animal Care and Control officers, who took it under their care. Now set for a detailed examination, the kitten is hopefully on its way to a brighter future despite its rocky start in life.