Kitten rescued after being trapped for almost 24 hours under Cork city bridge

Loki's owner thanked members of Crosshaven Coast Guard unit and volunteers from the Cork Missing Persons Search and Recovery Unit for their help over the last 18-hours

Lucky the kitten, rescued after spending almost 24 hours trapped under Eamon de Valera bridge in Cork city.

Loki the kitten has been recovered safe and sound after spending almost 24-hours hiding under a Cork city bridge.

The kitty, who bolted from its carrier and scampered under Éamon de Valera bridge last night, finally emerged from its hiding spot around lunchtime and was caught safely in a cat trap.

Its owner, Lidia Riera, thanked members of Crosshaven Coast Guard unit and volunteers from the Cork Missing Persons Search and Recovery Unit for their help over the last 18 hours or so.

“They’ve just been amazing. They’ve spent much of the last two days helping,” she said.

Coast Guard members assess the scene of the rescue in Cork City. Its owner, Lidia Riera, thanked members of Crosshaven Coast Guard unit and volunteers from the Cork Missing Persons Search and Recovery Unit for their help. Photo: Lidia Riera

Loki is now on the way home for a big feed and a drink before a trip to the vets later for vaccines. 

Ms Riera also hopes the vet will be able to tell her whether Loki is male or female.

A rescue operation was launched last night after the three-month-old pet escaped from its carrier basket as Ms Riera was walking along the Lapps’ Quay boardwalk on route to the vet, where Loki was due to get a range of vaccines.

The mischievous kitty managed to undo the carrier basket door and make a bolt for it, hiding under Éamon de Valera Bridge.

Dinny Kiely and David Varian from Cork City Missing Person's Search and Recovery Unit, who helped save Lucky the kitten in Cork City.

Lucky is now on the way home for a big feed and a drink before a trip to the vets later for vaccines. Photo: Lidia Riera

Members of Crosshaven Coast Guard and a team from the Cork Missing Person’s Unit responded and spent hours trying to coax the kitty out.

They used snake-eye cameras to identify its location, before placing cat food on a ledge under the bridge in a bid to tempt it out.

But cute Loki emerged several times to eat the food only to retreat to its hiding spot again.

Rescuers decided to place cat food inside a cat trap on the ledge, which ultimately worked.

The operation was stood down when darkness fell but Ms Riera stayed at the scene until midnight, before returning at 6am this morning.

Rescuers returned later and decided to place cat food inside a cat trap on the ledge, which ultimately worked.

Rescue services often come to the rescue of trapped pets, especially those trapped at a height, in confined spaces or near water, to prevent their owners from putting themselves at risk in an attempted rescue.