After falling from the Mopac Bridge, a cat earned the nickname “Mermaid Kitty” in Austin, Texas. It all started when a couple decided to rent canoes and paddle on the Colorado River through the city. On a Wednesday night, John and Heather Ford were enjoying themselves with their 3-year-old daughter Olivia.
Soon, they would return home to Louisiana, but Heather was familiar with Austin, having lived there for two years. As they paddled by the Mopac Bridge, something caught Heather’s eye. Suddenly, a black and white cat fell into the river.
“I couldn’t believe what we were seeing,” John said.
“My heart dropped when I saw her jump. Just glad we were able to help!” Heather said on Facebook.
As they watched, the cat struggled to swim, but help was on the way.
Images, Heather Ford via Facebook
🧜🏿♀️ 🛶Mermaid Kitty Falls from the Overpass 🛶🧜🏿♀️
After the cat fell into the water, two onlookers on paddleboards came to the rescue. Then, they put the cat on top of a paddleboard. From there, John Ford took her to safety on their larger canoe.
John Ford with Mermaid Kitty
After running across the bridge, the cat was uninjured aside from bloody paws. According to 6Park News, the cat had been running on hot asphalt before taking the plunge into the river.
Later, the cat earned the nickname Mermaid Kitty on Facebook. According to an Austin Animal Center listing, the cat was around two years old.
Online, many people commented on the story and wanted updates on how she was doing. Below, someone shared a video showing she was doing “fabulous.”
One volunteer at the center planned to name the friendly cat “Nimue after the Lady of the Lake.” Thus, she had inspired many people with her dramatic aquatic rescue story.
Eyewitness Claims to Have Seen Mermaid Kitty on the Bridge
On Facebook, an eyewitness named Andy came forward, claiming to have seen Mermaid Kitty run across the bridge.
“I was driving the last car she crossed in front of before flying off the bridge,” they said. “I was heartbroken and shocked.
After turning around and coming back, they looked for the cat but never saw her. However, that’s because the Fords had already rescued the cat. Now, they said it was “absolutely the best news” to learn the cat was safe.
Elaborating, Andy described the scene on the busy bridge:
“Tons of traffic, going fast. At first, I thought she was a plastic bag or something. She was tumbling across all the lanes of traffic. From the far left lane, to right in front of me in the far right lane. I never saw her get hit, but I thought she had surely been hit. I slammed on my brakes, thankfully the traffic behind me stopped. She got her feet under her and sprinted to the side of the bridge, and jumped. She absolutely launched!!! If it was a movie, it would be too unbelievable,” they said.
In response, Heather pointed out that the cat could easily have been injured falling into the shallow, rocky water. Fortunately, she made it with help from the kind people in the water that day.
Mermaid Kitty Finds a Home
Following the rescue, the Fords took Mermaid Kitty to the veterinarian for a checkup. Then, they took her to the Austin Animal Center. After five days, if the cat’s owners didn’t claim her, she would be up for adoption.
According to John, daughter Oliva wanted “to take her right away.” If the owner didn’t claim the cat, the family planned to return for her the following week.
Although the family planned to adopt, they were seven hours away by then. The policy prohibits reserving pets at the center, allowing those who arrive in person to get the first chance to adopt. Then, when the center opened, someone promptly arrived to adopt the now locally-famous Mermaid Kitty.
Fortunately, the cat had many people who wanted to care for her. For so many pets, a chance for a forever home never comes.
“I’m sorry somebody else beat you to it,” said one person. “But she would never have found her forever home without you, and thanks to you, she can live a happy life and bring years of happiness to someone else. Thank you for rescuing her!”
We thank this lovely couple and the two men for acting so quickly to save Mermaid Kitty. Their small act of compassion became big news, appearing on Axios and Yahoo!. Now, the story may help inspire others to adopt a shelter kitty of their own. Perhaps one of them will be named Nimue?
Happily, we shared a story about Good Samaritans who came together to save a kitten during rush hour on a busy bridge in South Carolina. Once again, the kindness of total strangers prevailed to save a furry life.
