A stray cat rescued from an East Valley pipe on Wednesday has been adopted by one of the firefighters who rescued it.
According to a Facebook post from the Superstition Fire and Medical District, crews responded to reports of a cat stuck five feet down a drain pipe in Apache Junction.
In response to the cat-tastrophe, firefighters used a rescue tether to create a loop around the cat and carry it to safety.
One of the rescuers, Firefighter Hammer, “felt a special calling and decided to adopt the stray cat,” the message read.
In a photo shared by the fire department, the cat can be seen resting in firefighter Hammer’s gloved hand.
The cat is held in firefighter Hammer’s arms after the animal was pulled from a drainpipe on December 11, 2024.
The owner of the home where the drain pipe was located volunteered to keep the cat overnight until Hammer got off shift the next morning.
“While we are not always available to personally assist with animal rescues, we are very happy that this kitten has gone to a loving home, and just in time for Christmas,” read the post.
Another photo showed the loved-up kitten enjoying his new indoor life under a Christmas tree.
This article originally appeared in the Arizona Republic: Phoenix-area firefighter adopts cat rescued from drain pipe
