He’s safe and warm now ❤️
The other day, teachers and staff at a school in San Antonio, Texas, heard faint meowing coming from somewhere near the street. They began searching right away, but no matter where they looked, they couldn’t find the cat.
The cries seemed to be coming from below the ground.
After listening carefully, the group realized the animal was likely trapped inside a storm drain under the street. Knowing they would need help to reach him safely, they contacted San Antonio Animal Care Services.
When animal care officers arrived, they immediately heard the kitten crying. His meows were loud and desperate, making it clear he needed help fast.
The officers lifted a manhole cover and finally spotted him. A tiny kitten was crouched at the bottom of the drain, damp, scared and surrounded by debris. Several storms had recently moved through the area, so rescuers were relieved there wasn’t too much water around him.
The kitten was frightened and unhappy, but he was also very hungry. The officers lowered food down to him, hoping it would calm him enough for them to rescue him. As soon as the food reached him, he began eating quickly.
While he was distracted, the officers used a long net to carefully scoop him up and lift him out of the drain.
No one knows exactly how the kitten ended up there. He was alone, with no mother or siblings nearby. He may have fallen in, or he may have been swept into the drain during heavy rain.
Thankfully, a vet exam showed that the little cat had no injuries or major health issues. After everything he had been through, he was surprisingly OK.
Animal Defense League of Texas took him into their care and gave him the fitting name Crocodile — a playful nod to stories about creatures living in storm drains. But instead of a scary sewer legend, Crocodile is just a tiny brown tabby kitten who needed someone to hear his cries.
Now, Crocodile is staying in foster care until he is old enough to be adopted. Thanks to the school staff who paid attention and the officers who rescued him, he is safe, healthy and headed toward a much brighter future.