Cat gets 'Lucky' in rescue on icy river

[badger]

MISSOULA, Montana (AP) -- If cats have nine lives, a kitty in Montana has definitely used one up.

A house cat survived being locked in a cage, thrown off a bridge and then stranded in an icy puddle of river slush.

The ordeal ended Tuesday morning when a pair of passers-by spotted the calico cat while crossing a footbridge and called for help.

Missoula firefighters arrived minutes later, donned wet suits and launched a rescue boat.

Someone had put the animal in a cage, along with a rock weighing about 16 pounds, and tossed it into the Clark Fork River. But instead of landing in the water, it bounced several times on the ice and then became stuck.

It's unclear how long the cat had been there.

Firefighters took it back to the fire station, dried it off and fed it leftover Christmas turkey and a dish of milk.

"It was really skinny, nothing but skin and bones, and had collar marks where a too-small collar had rubbed the fur off its neck. But it was really friendly," firefighter Philip Keating said.

Firefighter Josh Macrow decided to keep the cat. After his shift, he took it to a veterinarian and then home to his 12-year-old daughter.

"It's the sweetest cat," Macrow said. "It sits on your shoulder when you drive down the road, and it curled up with my black Labs this morning."

Naming the animal was easy, he said.

"We call her Lucky."

[joeysmama]

I just now read this article on Fox News. I was coming here to see if I could post it---being so completely inept at the computer. I'm glad Badger got here first as I wasn't really sure how to do it.

Can you believe that? A 16 pound rock?? How inhuman can you get?

I'm so glad this poor kitty is warm and dry and most of all loved !!

[chico2]

Badger,what a good luck story:love:
I just wonder what people who can do such an evil deed are made of
I hope they get theirs one day.....in a way,Lucky was lucky,she now gets all the love and attention she could ever need..
I wish I could hug Josh Macrow,the firefighter:love:

[shannonRN]

Why, why, WHY do I read these threads? Arg. I should learn to stay away. I'm so glad this kitty survived.