Curiosity caught this cat behind a water heater, but a creative crew of Yakima firefighters cleared her from captivity.
A resident in the 1100 block of North 22nd Avenue called the fire department’s downtown station about 10:25 a.m. Wednesday to report that he was concerned because he had found his cat, 7-year-old Tabitha, stuck in a narrow cavity between the water heater and two adjoining walls, Capt. Jeff Pfaff said.
After considering the situation, the crew of Rescue 91 opted to move the water heater and tip it at an angle that allowed the cat to escape. More drastic options, such as cutting a hole in the wall, luckily were not needed.
Pfaff said that while the fire department generally avoids rescuing the stereotypical cat in a tree (it’s safer for everyone involved to open a can of cat food and wait), firefighters try to help pets out of a jam when they can.
“Pets for most people are family, too,” Pfaff said, noting that the proximity of the cat to the heater posed a possible fire risk as well.
The cat’s owner, Levi Lorenzano, said he called the fire department because he was concerned about how long the cat could survive in the cramped, heated corner. He was grateful for the quick response.
“The fire department did an excellent job. I give them an A,” he said.