Kittens rescued from wall in West Covina

WEST COVINA — Firefighters rescued and found temporary homes for two 2-week-old kittens that had become trapped inside the wall of a home Sunday, officials said.
Firefighters received a call just after noon from a resident reporting what sounded like an animal trapped inside the wall of a fourplex in the 2400 block of Gehrig Street, West Covina Fire Department Capt. Esteban Rodriguez said.
Using a thermal imaging camera designed to hunt for hot spots during fires, firefighters were able to locate the kittens within the wall of the home via their body heat, Rodriguez said.
Firefighters cut two holes in the wall to retrieve the animals, in a process that took nearly an hour, he said. The homeowner was supportive of the rescue effort.
“They were tucked in the wall,” the captain said. “They didn’t want to come out.”
After liberating the trapped kittens, firefighters contacted animal control officials but were told that because of the young age of the kittens, they would likely have to be euthanized, Rodriguez said.
“We decided to adopt them ourselves for the meantime,” he said.
Firefighters went to a PetSmart store in West Covina to buy kitten food and discovered that, coincidentally, a cat rescue organization called Cats At The Studios was holding a cat adoption event in the parking lot.
Representatives from CATS agreed to care for the kittens until they could be adopted into permanent homes, Rodriguez said. The organization christened the kittens “flame” and “cinder,” in honor of their rescuers.
Though apparently undernourished, “They appear to be healthy,” the captain said.
Once mature enough, CATS planned to adopt flame and cinder to a permanent home.
Those interested in adopting the rescued kittens can contact Adrianna of CATS at 626-532-2677. Information on CATS is also available on the organization’s website at www.catsatthestudios.com.

PHOTO courtesy of the West Covina Fire Department

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