An eight-month-old kitten has been saved from the rooftop of a derelict house in Barrow following a four-hour rescue mission.
The curious Kenai was stranded for three days wandering along the rooftop and meowing for help after he climbed into the empty terraced property on Penrith Place.
Entering the building through a broken board covering a downstairs window, he then made his way into the attic through an open hatch, before climbing onto the roof through broken slates.
The weather was wet and windy at the time, which had made the roof slippery, and Kenai was seen losing his grip as he moved around.
Kenai’s owner, Danielle Gilchrist, who lives nearby, contacted the RSPCA after it became clear that her efforts to coax him down with food and treats were not working.
RSPCA inspector Martyn Fletcher arrived on the scene, and although it was clear that the frightened feline was keen to come down from the roof, the officer was unable to reach him.
Martyn then contacted Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service to see if they were able to assist, and firefighters from Red Watch at Barrow Fire Station arrived.
Crew members initially attempted to use a ladder on the front of the property to reach Kenai, but after coming close to the helping hand of one of the firefighters, he became nervous and ran back into the roof for safety.
The fire service’s aerial platform was then used. Once the vehicle was in place, the firefighters were able to hover above the roof and access the space in which Kenai was hiding, before putting him into a cat basket and returning him to the ground.
Following a quick check up by Martyn, Kenai – who is named after a character in the Disney children’s film Brother Bear – was returned to Danielle and her two young children, aged two and ten-months-old, who were relieved to see him safe and well after his three-day ordeal.
Martyn said: “Curious little Kenai found himself well and truly stranded and no amount of coaxing with tasty treats was going to get him to come back down again. The weather had been pretty awful, but fortunately he could climb back into the roof space through the hole where the slates were missing, which provided him with some shelter from the elements.
“Huge thanks go to the officers from Red Watch at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service for their time and assistance. Because of the state of the property, this was a tricky rescue, but it demonstrates the excellent relationship we have with the emergency services and what can be achieved when organisations work together for the benefit of animal welfare.”
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service later contacted the local authority to ensure the property was secured properly to prevent animals from getting inside in the future.
