Cat Declared “Completely Fine” Following Drainpipe Rescue

The owner of a cat that required rescue from a drainpipe expressed her “relief” that her pet is unharmed and extended thanks to the firefighters for their assistance. Cassie, a resident of Clevedon in Somerset, stated that her female cat, John, entered the garage unnoticed while Cassie was unloading her car on Friday night. On Saturday morning, when John did not appear for breakfast, Cassie searched the garage, where she observed only John’s head “poking out” of a pipe in the ceiling. She contacted Avon Fire and Rescue Service, which dispatched a crew from Clevedon Fire Station to conduct the rescue operation. “It seemed so extreme,” Cassie added. “But I suppose it was that extreme, she was stuck. I needed her to be OK.” The firefighters cut out the section of pipe in which the one-year-old cat was trapped. They then transported her in their fire engine to Vets4Pets Clevedon. “The looks we got in the waiting room when we walked through with the cat stuck in a pipe and the firefighters – it was funny,” Cassie said. Members of the fire crew meticulously cut John out of the pipe before a veterinarian confirmed she was not experiencing pain. “They [the firefighters] were really careful and put her wellbeing first,” Cassie added. By the time John was safely returned home, the incident had garnered media attention across the country and beyond. “I took her back home and she had a nap on me. We had a cuddle,” said Cassie. “When she woke up I picked up my phone and saw she’d blown up online. I didn’t realise she’d get so much attention.” She also provided an explanation for John, a female cat, having a male name. “My son is obsessed with the name John,” she said. “If I ask him to name something, it’s always John.”