A little kitten trapped in a storm drain for days finds safety in a rescuer's blanket. Now her new life as an indoor cat begins.
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
It started with a post on the Nextdoor app. While out walking their dog, a neighbor heard faint meows drifting up from a storm drain. They'd already called animal control and the fire department, but neither could reach the kitten. That's when local rescuers from Liberation Cat House, out of Orlando, FL, saw the posts.
"I could never unsee and unhear that poor baby crying out for help," one rescuer shared with our LoveMeow team.
Finding the kitten was the easy part. Her cries echoed through the drain, allowing her rescuers to track her movements as she raced back and forth between two storm culverts joined by a narrow tunnel. Reaching her, however, was an entirely different challenge.
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
The rescuers got creative. First, they lifted the storm drain cover and lowered a trap baited with tuna down into the hole. They waited patiently, but the frightened kitten was too timid to step inside.
When they noticed a lawn crew working a couple of houses down, they wondered if the noise and rush of air might gently nudge her toward the trap. That didn't work either.
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
After nearly three hours trying everything they could think of, they looked down and realized the kitten had solved the problem herself.
Exhausted and scared, the little kitten had burrowed into the blanket draped over the trap, nestling into the only soft, safe thing she could find. At last, the rescuers gently scooped her up and brought her to safety.
“This baby is only about five weeks old, so this whole ordeal had to be so scary for her,” Alyssa from Liberation Cat House shared with LoveMeow. “Just a few hours after pulling her from the drain, a huge storm came through Orlando, so we really got her just in time.”
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
It was only afterward that a neighbor came out and mentioned they'd first heard her cries two nights earlier. The brave kitten had been calling for help for at least two days.
Within just a minute of being lifted from the drain, the kitten began to purr and lean in for pets. There was no hesitation, no hiding. She seemed to understand, almost immediately, that she was finally safe and that these were the people who had answered her cries.
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
Fittingly named Stormy in honor of her origin story, the sweet girl is now thriving in foster care with Larissa through Liberation Cat House.
"Within just an hour of rescue, she was already fearlessly exploring and purring up a storm," Larissa said. "What a resilient little baby."
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
These days, Stormy spends her time chasing toys and soaking up all the affection she can get. And in the latest happy update, the determined little girl has recently started eating on her own.
“She's enjoying her endless supply of food and learning what toys are all about,” Larissa mentioned when asked how Stormy is currently doing.
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
After those days alone in the dark, Stormy wasted no time settling into the comforts of her new life.
She is finally enjoying what every kitten deserves: warm laps, full bellies, and people who will always keep her safe.
Credit: Larissa Dub & Alyssa
Share this story with your friends. Learn more about Stormy and Liberation Cat House on Instagram @liberationcathouse and Facebook. Thanks to Alyssa @orlandofosterkittens and Larissa @larissadubz.
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