Rescued Kitten Goes On Ride-Along With Deputies

By: Kelli Brinegar
For more than five years, Kelli Brinegar has been using her ability to write and her passion for research to tell the tale of what cats are thinking and why. She has provided care to more than 30 cats in her lifetime.Read more
| December 22, 2019

About a week ago, deputies with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office were finishing up a call when they heard a tiny soul in distress.

In a large tree, a frightened kitten huddled high in the branches and cried for help. Somehow, the baby found its way up the tree and couldn’t find a way to the ground again. Sworn to protect and serve, the deputies knew they had to help.

Deputy Brian Lister told Koin 6 News, “At first, I kind of thought it might have been a wildcat, like a feral cat, because it was so afraid.”

A call was made to Molalla Fire as firefighters are rumored to be the best at rescuing cats in trees. Once a fire engine arrived at the scene, deputies captured the moment their first responder brethren were informed of the situation. The look on this man’s face says it all…


@ClackCoSheriff/Twitter

While the situation seemed a funny cliché, firefighters still helped save the kitten from its plight, which could have ended badly had the deputies not found the kitten. But, as cats are wont to do, the little tabby didn’t make the rescue easy on the firefighters. One of the firefighters climbed atop the rig and tried using a pike pole to scoop the cat from the tree. The kitten took one look at the pronged ends of the stick and bolted down the branch. After multiple attempts the slippery kitten was caught.


@ClackCoSheriff/Twitter

Plucked from the Tree and Put Back in Loving Arms

Deputy Lister took charge of the little tabby and knew right away the kitten wasn’t a wild thing. “It started cuddling and purring and it was happy as anything—obviously had a home somewhere.”

He checked with nearby homes in the area to find where the kitten belonged. No one claimed the fluffy baby though. So, Deputy Lister kept the kitten with him for a ride-along.


@ClackCoSheriff/Twitter

The kitten insisted on an early lunch though…


@ClackCoSheriff/Twitter

Social media led to a quick reunion for the kitten and its family. Turns out, Scootaloo the kitten belonged to one of Lister’s co-workers at the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. The four-month-old kitten had gone missing two days prior. Lister was more than happy to reunite Scootaloo with family.


@ClackCoSheriff/Twitter

With Scootaloo rescued from the tree and back with family, Deputy Brian Lister can count this day on the job as a good one.

H/T: OregonLive.com

Feature Image: @ClackCoSheriff/Twitter