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A kitten, just under 5 weeks old, was rescued from a drainpipe where he had mysteriously gotten trapped.

Photo courtesy of Sharon Longerbeam, President S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue, Inc.

S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue Inc., based in Washington County, Maryland is a home-based foster/rescue organization. When president Sharon Longerbeam received a call around 5:30 pm on Friday, July 6^th about tiny meows coming from a drain, she rushed into action.

Taking a live trap and some enticing kitten food, she located the kitten but unfortunately a large, heavy metal grate was covering the drain. Sharon called the Longmeadow volunteer Fire Company for assistance in rescuing the small feline.

Although not something normally covered in training, Sgt. Damien Smith was quick to lend a hand in the unique request. He and another firefighter, Quinton Toesten, hurried to the kitten in need.

Photos courtesy of Sharon Longerbeam, President S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue, Inc.

The men removed the grate and the team could see the kitten, hiding in fear. Unfortunately they still could not reach him and the stubborn fur-baby refused to budge.

By 7:30 pm, having no success still, the firefighters were called to duty elsewhere. As they couldn’t leave the grate open, the team set the live trap and promised to return as soon as the cat was in the cage.

Photos courtesy of Sharon Longerbeam, President S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue, Inc.

But the kitten remained steadfast and ignored the delicious bait. They could see there was nothing holding or keeping the kitten from moving, except his determination to refuse help.

Then they thought of a genius plan that may work.

Playing a YouTube video of a mama cat calling to her kittens, they were able to draw the boy out of his hiding place and get him into the trap!

Photos courtesy of Sharon Longerbeam, President S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue, Inc.

They quickly called the fire department back out to the scene to remove the grate and officially save the kitten at 11:30 pm. It took an anxious 6 hours to free the trapped boy, but a rescuers life has no set hours.

Photo courtesy of Sharon Longerbeam, President S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue, Inc.

The kitten is in good health but will remain in the care of fosters until he is old enough to be neutered and receive his vaccinations. He was lovingly named Bruno, in honor of a retired Longmeadow Fire Company fire truck.

Photo: Facebook; Longmeadow Vol. Fire Co.; Retired Fire Truck & namesake, Bruno.

Fortunately the kitten was discovered by a woman who has already applied to adopt him when he is ready for his fur-ever home!

Photo courtesy of Sharon Longerbeam, President S & K Feline Furbabies Rescue, Inc.

UPDATE:

Around the same time that Bruno was being lured to safety, another young kitty’s life was changing.

The team at S & K had been advocating for a large feral colony to be TNR’d (Trap/Neuter/Return). The Sharpsburg Pike location in Hagerstown, MD had numerous cats and kittens running wild, sadly reproducing at the alarming way cats do.

In June, they had finally been able to start trapping the felines.

Photo: Facebook / S&K Feline Furbabies Rescue Inc.

A seemingly never-ending flood of kittens, adults and even a couple pregnant mamas, have been caught. By early July they had TNR’d 19! 

On July 22nd, the organization shared a post reminding us that sadly, without our help, these animals will continue to suffer.

Many were put into foster homes and those unable to be socialized, were sterilized and returned.

Sadly, a wide range of issues was found on the feral and strays of Sharpsburg, including eye and Upper Respiratory Infections.

One kitten that was caught with an issue needing medical treatment was a little boy they named Jordan.

Photo: Facebook / S&K Feline Furbabies Rescue Inc.

Jordan was trapped on July 18th and was about 5 weeks old.

Sometime within that 5 weeks, while wandering the property, he brushed up against something that may give you the “willies“. 

The young kitten had come in contact with maggots and now had a botfly larve embedded in his neck. We’ll spare you the photos here, but you can follow this link if you really want to see.

Fortunately, the parasite was in a location and at a stage that it could be removed safely and quickly by the veterinarian. 

Jordan was on the mend and gladly one of the TNR’d kittens still young enough that socialization was an option.

Photo: Facebook / S&K Feline Furbabies Rescue Inc.

The little boy who led a sad and unimaginable short life so far was destined to meet another just like him! 

In a happy announcement just posted today on the S&K Feline Furbabies Inc Facebook page, these 2 deserving kitties have a lot to look forward to. 

“We are happy to announce that Bruno and Jordan are at New Market Animal Hospital to be neutered today to finalize their adoption!”

Photo: Facebook / S&K Feline Furbabies Rescue Inc.

Bruno and Jordan had been fostered together and had made quite the bond with each other.

The heroic woman, Genie, who originally called about Bruno being stuck in the drainpipe was planning on adopting Bruno regardless. 

When she saw the two baby boys together, she knew she couldn’t separate them. So their “Genie” granted their wishes for a fur-ever home!

Looks like these 2 boys not only got a new chance at life, they now have a brother to spend it with! <3 

Photo: Facebook / S&K Feline Furbabies Rescue Inc. ~ (L) Bruno, (R) Jordan

REMEMBER: ADOPT, DON’T SHOP & SPAY AND NEUTER!

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