A KITTEN has been safely rescued after falling down a pipe and getting tightly wedged behind a wall in a Northfield shop.
A customer, who was visiting the DIY shop on Bristol Road South, contacted the RSPCA and West Midlands Fire Service after hearing the distressing meows of the kitten last Tuesday.
RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Vic Hurr worked alongside the fire service to cut the wall and bring the small, terrified cat, just weeks old, out to safety.
Vic said: “It would appear that he had fallen down a pipe and ended up in a gap just inches wide behind the wall.
“There was no way the cat was getting out on his own, so if we hadn’t have been alerted then he would have died a horrible slow death of starvation. The poor thing was terrified.
“It would seem that a number of stray cats are often in the roof of the shop, and sadly this one had managed to fall through a space and behind a wall.
“We don’t know for certain how long he was there for and the only way we could free him was by breaking through the wall.
“The gaps will now be blocked off so hopefully no more cats will get themselves stuck like this.
“The kitten has been transferred to our Worcester Holdings branch, where he will hopefully be socialised with another litter of kittens around his age.
“It is early days for him as he needs a lot of TLC, he is quite a nervous little chap.
“It has been quite an ordeal for him.”
Anyone who witnesses an animal in distress should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
To help the RSPCA carry out animal rescues, text LOVE to 87023 to give £3 (text costs £3 + one standard network rate message) or visit www.rspca.org.uk/give.
