Eight-month-old kitten rescued after spending three days stranded on roof in Barrow-in-Furness

Kitten rescued from roof in Cumbria
Cumbria Fire and Rescue team had to use their aerial platform to rescue the kitten. Credit: RSPCA

An eight-month-old kitten has been rescued after being stranded for three days on the roof of an abandoned property.

Kenai - who is named after a character in the Disney film Brother Bear - was spotted on the rooftop meowing for help after he climbed into the empty terraced house in Penrith Place, Barrow-in-Furness on 8 January.

He got in through a broken board on the downstairs window and made his way onto the roof through a hole in the attic.

Kenai got in through a broken board on a downstairs window and made his way to the roof through a hole in the attic. Credit: RSPCA

Kenai's owner, Danielle Gilchrist, contacted the RSPCA on 11 January after trying to coax the kitten down with food and treats.

RSPCA inspector Martyn Fletcher arrived just after midday but was unable to reach Kenai and contacted Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service for assistance.

Firefighters from Red Watch at Barrow Fire Station tried using a ladder but the property's poor condition made the rescue more difficult.

The kitten came very close to the helping hand of one firefighter, but at the last second became nervous and ran back into the roof space for safety.

The fire service’s aerial platform was then used, allowing firefighters to hover above the roof and access the space where Kenai was hiding.

They placed him in an RSPCA cat basket and safely returned him to the ground. 

Kenai was reunited with his family - Danielle and her two young children. Credit: RSPCA

Following a quick check up by Martyn, Kenai was returned to Danielle and her two young children, aged two and ten-months-old.

RSPCA inspector Martyn Fletcher said: “Curious little Kenai found himself well and truly stranded and no amount of coaxing with tasty treats was going to get him to come back down again.

“Because of the state of the property, this was a tricky rescue, but it demonstrates the excellent relationship we have with the emergency services and what can be achieved when organisations work together for the benefit of animal welfare.”

Firefighters were concerned about the poor condition of the property. Credit: RSPCA

When a cat is stuck on a roof or in a tree, the RSPCA advises that people monitor the situation for 24 hours and try coaxing them down with smelly treats or fish - unless there are severe weather conditions, or the cat appears injured or hurt.

Following Kenai’s rescue, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service contacted the local authority to ensure the property was secured properly to prevent any animals from getting inside in the future.

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