A “Chimney Kitty” got stuck after going down a home’s chimney one night in Jurupa Valley, California. Then, Riverside Department of Animal Services officer Chris Peck, arrived to help a mom and her daughter save their beloved stray kitten Rudy.
Rudy, a black kitten about six months old, may have followed his mom to the roof on Monday night. Then, his curiosity may have led him astray. Unfortunately, the chimney was sealed inside, and there was no way back up.
Rudy: Images via YouTube
How Did Chimney Kitty Get There?
Rudy’s human, Amaya Jones, described what happened (see video below):
“Well, it was in the middle of the night and I heard some meowing and I thought they were just being loud outside so I went to bed,” said Jones.
On the next morning, Jones’ mother, Natasha Hunter, heard sounds inside the home.
“The next morning, Mom was like, ‘One of the cats is inside the house.'”
At first, Jones thought that couldn’t be, but then they realized the cat was stuck in the sealed-up chimney.
Hunter says she had previously seen cats climbing a nearby tree. The mother cat had once ventured to the roof of the house. Possibly, the cat’s kittens decided to follow her to the roof.
However, she and her daughter will never know how Rudy ended up going down the chimney.
“How did he get down in the chimney?” Hunter asked. “Hey, that’s going to remain a mystery,” she said, happy that Rudy was safe and sound.
Natasha Hunter
A Little Creativity Saves Chimney Kitty
When Chris Peck arrived, there was no way to get to Rudy, with no device on hand that would reach. However, a creative idea soon presented itself in the form of an ordinary red bedsheet.
Like Rapunzel
Peck and the concerned mom brainstormed and arrived at the solution. In this case, it was an old bed sheet that would prove an effective way to go.
After the officer asked about using a sheet, Hunter suggested cutting it into strips. Then, they threw it down, which reminded the mom of the fairy-tale of Rapunzel. In this case, Rudy was the damsel.
“Like Rapunzul, he had to save the damsel in distress,” Hunter said.
According to Jones, the idea to tie the bed sheet into knots and drop it down the chimney “came right in the time of need.”
Thanks to the ingenuity, there wouldn’t be a big hole in the home.
“Officer Peck, he was awesome, and he was willing to try stuff,” she said. “He said, worst-case scenario, we’re going to have to make a hole in your house.”
However, Hunter said she would have done whatever was necessary to save the kitty.
“‘Cause he’s like one of our family members,” she said.
Amaya Jones with Rudy
Chimney Kitty Climbs to Safety
After throwing down the makeshift rope, they gave the stray kitten some time overnight. Then, the women caught a welcome sight on their Ring cam, spotting Rudy in the yard. The brave kitten scaled the rope and was in the backyard the following morning, reports the Desert Sun.
Next step? Bring the cats inside where they won’t find themselves “stuck between a rock and a hard place.” 🙃
See the cute video from RiCOanimalsPIO:
