25 heartwarming tales of kitties rescued
These stories highlight the compassion of people and shelters who step in to help animals in distress. In one case, a Texas vet saved a cat who had been trapped in a taped box. In another, a caring student rescued 5-day-old kittens and their mom near a college campus.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
NO. 1: ABANDONED CAT TRAPPED IN TAPED BOX BREAKS FREE, TEXAS VET SAYS. MEET LEMON SQUEEZE
The cat was in a suitcase inside a sealed cardboard box, which a woman dumped over a chain link fence, security video showed. | Published June 9, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 2: 5-DAY-OLD KITTENS AND MOM FOUND NEAR COLLEGE CAMPUS. THEN, ‘CARING’ STUDENT STEPPED IN
Now, the mama cat has a special name, a North Carolina shelter said. | Published March 28, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 3: TERRIFIED CATS FOUND ‘CRAMMED’ IN CRATES OUTSIDE IOWA SHELTER. THEY GET SECOND CHANCE
“These poor babies are traumatized!” the shelter said. | Published June 6, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 4: ‘SHY BUT AFFECTIONATE’ CAT WAS AT NC SHELTER FOR 265 DAYS. THEN CAME A ‘PERFECT MATCH’
The cat got a second chance after his past owner could no longer take care of him. | Published February 9, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 5: LOVING, STRAY CAT WITH ‘RUPTURED EYES’ NEEDED SURGERY. NOW SHE’S LOOKING FOR A HOME
She will make a “very loving companion,” the Wisconsin humane society says. | Published April 4, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 6: ‘OBSERVANT’ CAT KEPT WATCHING PEOPLE PASS HIM UP. 199 DAYS LATER, HE HAS A NEW HOME
The North Carolina cat is known for having a “heart of gold.” | Published January 8, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 7: CAT SIBLINGS LAND AT NC SHELTER — AGAIN. NOW ‘TWO PEAS IN A POD’ GET A SECOND CHANCE
“They do everything together — eating, napping, following people around the shelter.” | Published January 25, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 8: ADOPTED CAT WAS DUMPED IN THE WILD. NOW HE’S ‘THRIVING’ AT SHELTER AND NEEDS A HOME
The young cat made it back to his original Wisconsin shelter in “rough shape,” but he’s ready for his next home. | Published June 13, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 9: KITTEN GETS TRAPPED BELOW SIDEWALK — THEN CALIFORNIA RESCUERS CRACK OPEN A CAN OF TUNA
Rescuers also used meowing sounds from a YouTube video. | Published April 29, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 10: RESCUER FINDS KITTEN IN ‘UNUSUAL’ BOX, OHIO GROUP SAYS. ‘PRECIOUS SPECIAL DELIVERY’
“I’ve seen kittens stuck in many places, but this was new for me!” said Brad Adams, chief humane agent at Fayette Regional Humane Society. | Published June 18, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 11: ‘KITTENS’ FOUND NEAR ARIZONA SHED TURN OUT TO BE A BIT MORE WILD. SEE THE ‘TINY BABIES’
While the little critters were undergoing health exams, the nonprofit said veterinary staff quickly realized they “were not domestic pets.” | Published April 26, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 12: CRYING KITTEN WAS STUCK IN ARIZONA CEILING FOR 24 HOURS. NOW SHE’S UP FOR ADOPTION
The orange kitten spent weeks being fostered. | Published May 10, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 13: CAT WITH ‘TRAUMATIC PAST’ SHOWS UP AT SHELTER. NOW ‘FANTASTIC FELINE’ NEEDS NEW HOME
Meet Chase, the “fun fella” in need of a home, a Massachusetts animal shelter said. | Published January 26, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 14: CAT FOUND ‘ON THE VERGE OF DEATH’ IS A ‘FIGHTER’ WHO NEEDS A HOME. MEET KIT KAT
“This energetic, spunky little spitfire loves to play,” a North Carolina animal rescue said. | Published June 28, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper
NO. 15: COUPLE ON BOARDWALK HEAR CRYING AND FIND TRAPPED KITTEN 20 FEET BELOW. SEE THE RESCUE
“The steeply sloped and rocky area was not accessible without risk of injury,” Massachusetts rescuers said. | Published July 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 16: MECHANIC STUMBLES ON ‘SWEET AND FRIENDLY KITTEN’ HIDING IN CAR ENGINE COMPARTMENT
The Massachusetts kitten was likely “spooked by something and was seeking a seemingly safe place to hide.” | Published July 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura
NO. 17: 27-POUND ‘CHONK’ AT TEXAS ANIMAL SHELTER NEEDS A NEW HOME — AND A WEIGHT LOSS PLAN
The 27-pound cat “just can’t catch a break,” the Texas shelter said. | Published July 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mike Stunson
NO. 18: KITTEN FINDS ITSELF IN PRECARIOUS SPOT BELOW AZ FREEWAY. TROOPERS HAD TO GET CREATIVE
Troopers responded to a call about a man needing help, but it soon turned into a kitten rescue. | Published July 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura
NO. 19: SOAP COULDN’T FREE TRAPPED KITTEN FROM TIRE RIM. SO RESCUERS USE SPOON — AND A SAW
“While some stories about cats and curiosity don’t always end well, this one did,” California firefighters said. | Published July 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura
NO. 20: KIDS USE KITTEN AS BALL TO PLAY CATCH, SHELTER SAYS. THEN RESPONDING COP ADOPTS HIM
Oreo arrived at the shelter with a bloody nose and in a state of shock, Pennsylvania rescuers said. | Published September 4, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mitchell Willetts
NO. 21: ‘SWEET’ CAT WITH CANCER KEPT RETURNING TO SHELTER. THEN SHE GOT A SECOND CHANCE
A Florida rescue shared heartwarming news about the three-legged cat. | Published July 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper
NO. 22: MAMA CAT EXPERIENCING TRAGIC LOSS STEPS IN TO HELP MOTHERLESS KITTENS AT SC SHELTER
“She quickly took them in and has added them to her litter.” | Published May 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper
NO. 23: CAT’S ‘FLAWLESS’ PLAN TO ESCAPE COYOTES WORKED — UNTIL HE GOT STUCK, PHOTOS SHOW
Indiana crews safely returned the cat to his family. | Published April 15, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kate Linderman
NO. 24: CAT’S WORLD ‘TURNED UPSIDE DOWN’ WHEN OWNER, COMPANION CAT DIE. MEET BELLA
The sweet cat has “majestic presence” but is desperately in need of a home after suffering from major heartache, the New York shelter says. | Published July 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by TJ Macias
NO. 25: BLIND CAT WITH HEART ‘FULL OF LOVE’ FOUND ‘SUFFERING AND ALONE.’ NOW, HE NEEDS A HOME
“He’s a little warrior who has faced so much but still purrs louder than any other cat in the shelter,” the Texas shelter said. | Published May 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Lauren Liebhaber
This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.
This story was originally published September 19, 2024 at 1:15 PM with the headline "25 heartwarming tales of kitties rescued."