ONSET, Mass. --
Pulling cats out of trees is old hat for many firefighters, but a team of rescuers from Onset faced a unique challenge this week when they found a tabby cat wedged in a PVC pipe.
Fire crews first discovered the animal when a woman called to report a kitten had been crying in her yard for several days. Rescuers searched the property and found the orange tabby, which is about 6 weeks old, stuck in the T-shaped PVC pipe.
Firefighters worked for an hour to free the animal, which was wedged in the tube with only its head sticking out into the air. The cat was eventually pulled free using a host of cutting tools and a bottle of vegetable oil, according to officials.
Rescuers dubbed the animal Piper and transported it to A Helping Paw, an animal shelter in Wareham. The kitten suffered a broken paw and was emaciated and dehydrated, but is expected to recover from the ordeal. Veterinarians will monitor the animal to see if the broken paw will require surgery to heal properly.
Anyone interested in adopting Piper or donating to A Helping Paw can contact the shelter at 508-759-2887 or through its Web site.
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