Cat’s rooftop rescue involved blanket

Cat’s rooftop rescue involved blanket

Posted

RIDGELAND — An alderman here saved a cat from starvation that was stuck — not in a tree — but on the roof of a two-story apartment building.

Ward 3 Alderman Kevin Holder said that he was driving around on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 10 when he got a call from Lisa Walters, the mayor’s assistant, that a cat was stuck on the roof of one of the buildings at Pear Orchard Apartments.

He said she asked him if he could help since the fire department does not respond to calls concerning animals stuck in high places and she knew his local contracting company, Omega Electric, had a bucket truck and other equipment for reaching high places.

“I happened to be out so I went over there and found someone looking up on the roof of one of the buildings and then I saw that poor little cat sitting up there,” Holder said.

The news had gotten around services like Facebook and the Nextdoor app. Ridgeland Police were called to the scene. 

Police Capt. Brian Myers said the usual policy for such situations is that the animal “will come down when it gets hungry” but noted that with the incoming weather reported that it would be dangerous for the cat to stay up there overnight.

Holder said that residents of the apartment complex had heard the cat before and suspected she had been up there for several days.

Holder said he went to his office and got the truck warmed up. He said he grabbed gloves and a horse blanket to grab the cat. He said as soon as the cat saw him on the roof she ran to him.

“I wrapped her in the blanket and took her down. She was pretty nervous in the bucket while it was lowering,” he said.

On the ground, the cat was turned over to Ridgeland Animal Control. The female cat was found with a red collar.

Animal control gave the cat to a concerned citizen to foster. Animal control and RPD representatives are looking for the owner of the cat. Anyone who knows who the cat may belong to is encouraged to call 601-856-2121.

Holder said that he has pets at home and a few cats that hang around his office building and was happy to help.

“I was all about helping that cat out and am glad we could do something,” Holder said.  






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