Purrfect ending to cat rescue

AS endings go, it was purr-fect.

The drama began shortly before 8am yesterday when cafe owner Sue Hassett heard the cries of a kitten trapped beneath the bonnet of a parked car.

Fearing a cat-astrophe, she contacted the Animal Welfare office in Limerick.

“I had gone into Gleeson’s shop in Catherine Street to buy my Euro millions lottery ticket and when I came out I could hear the meows of a cat,” she said.

“I searched around and discovered the cries were coming from under a parked Toyota Avensus. I contacted Limerick Animal Welfare and they sent down a volunteer, Valerie O’Dwyer. I was afraid if the owner of the car came along and started the car engine, the cat would be mangled.”

After initial efforts failed, the local fire brigade was called. The crew grappled unsuccessfully for nearly three hours to get the trapped kitten out and where about to give up when a passer-by came up with a novel solution.

George McElligott from Janesboro in Limerick saw the commotion and produced his mobile phone, which had an unusual ringtone — the sound of a cat meowing.

He put it under the car and got Sue to ring his number.

“When it rang out the ring jingle was the ‘meow’ of a cat. Almost immediately the kitten came out. It was just amazing,” she said.

“It was decided to name the cat Little Diesel. He obviously went into the car engine overnight for heat as it was so cold.”

Animal lover Bernadette Keogh from Birdhill witnessed the drama and came forward to adopt the kitten, who was reportedly doing well at his new home last night.