No one else seemed to notice.
On a sweltering afternoon in Pembroke Pines, Florida, last week, police sergeant Mike Matthis stopped by a local restaurant for lunch. After parking his police cruiser, he noticed an unusual movement from a neighboring vehicle.
“He saw a cat paw suddenly swat out from behind a nearby car’s bumper,” Pembroke Pines Police Department (PPPD) shared on Facebook.
Curious, Matthis crouched down to inspect the car’s front grille and was astonished to find a fluffy kitten staring back at him. The discovery was both surprising and urgent.
“A kitten had somehow wedged itself behind the grating and was trapped inside,” PPPD explained.
With temperatures rising, Matthis knew time was critical to rescue the kitten. However, he needed the car owner’s permission to proceed. Determined, he set out to find the vehicle’s owner.
It didn’t take long for the sergeant to locate them and explain the situation.
“Sergeant Matthis was able to find the car’s owner and, with their consent, cut open the bumper to free the cat,” PPPD reported.
Soon after, Matthis held the tiny kitten, initially named Bumper, in his arms. Though dirty and a bit grumpy from the ordeal, Bumper was relieved to be rescued.
Matthis took Bumper home, planning to foster him until he could find a permanent family. He bathed the kitten and set up a cozy space for him to rest. It didn’t take long for Matthis to realize that Bumper had already found his forever home.
“UPDATE: Foster failure!” PPPD announced in a comment. “Sergeant Matthis is keeping ‘Bumper’ (now renamed Loki).”
A few days after joining the Matthis family, Loki has settled in wonderfully. His rescuer-turned-dad is deeply fond of him, and their bond continues to grow stronger.
What began as a routine lunch break turned into a life-changing event for both Matthis and Loki, thanks to Matthis’ quick thinking and dedication.