On Saturday Sept. 22 at 3:20 p.m., the St. Amant, La. Fire Department Rescue Team was dispatched to rescue a cat whose head had been trapped in a pipe for at least 24 hours.
The cat, which lost its leg a year ago, is usually confined to owner Tandy Ragas' home.
"We never let the cat outside," Ragas said. "Friday was the first day she made it outside, and she seemed to be doing well."
Chief James E. LeBlanc said curiosity was what got the cat into the sticky situation. He said firefighters believed the cat had been chasing a lizard.
St. Amant firefighters used a hydraulic tool to spread the pipe apart to free the cat's head.
LeBlanc said the incident reminded him of a rescue 10 years ago, when a child crawled into an old milk container. He said crews used the same technique they'd use to free the child to free the cat. They hoped the tool would split the pipe down the seam.
After 25 minutes, the cat was free from danger.
It was released to the care of a family friend who works for a local veterinary clinic.
This cat has now used up two if its nine lives, stated LeBlanc.
