FORT SMITH, Ark. — A kitten stuck on a bridge, 70 feet over the Arkansas River, was crying out for help when a fisherman heard its plea. Two men who happen to be expert climbers and owners of an animal rescue saved the kitten's life.
Late Sunday (May 24) night, a fisherman on the Arkansas River heard the cries of a kitten. Not from the bank but from high up on the pillars of the Midland Avenue bridge in Fort Smith.
Animal rescuers with Jen's Kitty Rehab were contacted and estimate the kitten was stuck some 70 feet high over swift and dark water with no way to escape.
"That desperation of screaming and fear really gets my heart going," Jennifer Grayston with Jen's Kitty Rehab told 5NEWS.
They contacted expert climbers, Jerry Barnett and Aubrey Miller with Vertical Horizons Climbing Gym who immediately took action. With the right safety equipment, they scaled the bridge and dropped down right where the kitten was stuck.
"The cat was out in the far end of the pillar kind of in this metal bracing. Jerry Climbed up on top of it. Bear crawled over to it, got situated, shined the light and picked it up, and put it in the bag," Aubrey Miller said.
Within minutes the climbers had the kitten back on the ground.
The question now is, how did the kitten get up there?
"Worst case scenario is human intention from above. Possibly he got on the same catwalk that the rescuers, Vertical Horizons did," Jennifer Grayston said.
Once the kitten is completely healthy, it will be up for adoption. A medical fund has also been set up for the "bridge kitty" at Jen's Kitty Rehab.
RELATED: Adopt-A-Pet: Lucia