A small, gray kitten trapped in a wall has a group of resourceful Sacramento firefighters to thank for saving its life on Thursday morning.
The weeks-old kitten could be heard meowing for help from inside the wall of a city office on J Street used by rescue officials.
The kitten came from a feral mother that decided to give birth to a litter in the attic space of the office, said Capt. Jim Doucette, a spokesman for the department.
Previous attempts last week to rescue the kittens resulted in only one live rescue. The kitten found Thursday was the last of the group.
Animal control workers and firefighters said they thought all the kittens were accounted for until the last kitten made itself known Wednesday and Thursday.
Firefighters from Rescue 20 relied on technical rescue equipment -- including listening devices and telescoping cameras -- to search spaces within the complex.
Firefighters relied on the same skills and equipment that California Task Force 7 used during deployments to such events as the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center attack and Hurricane Katrina.
After several holes were made in the walls, ceiling and roof areas, the kitten could not be located. Rescuers were about to give up when firefighter Chris Swarbrick said he heard a faint meow.
This re-energized the search and firefighters were able to locate the kitten at the base of a support column and remove it to safety.
The kitten was fed and given water. It was expected to be taken to a local veterinarian for medical treatment. Several people have shown a desire to adopt the kitten.
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