Money cat fails to make withdrawal
CATASTROPHE has been averted. You could almost call it a Christmas miracle with Santa Claws in the starring role. Or, as senior station officer John Mansford put it, ‘‘curiosity almost killed the cat’’.
After a two-hour rescue mission involving six firefighters, two SPCA staff and a few bad puns, Money – a $1000 bengal cat – was rescued from a chimney on a house on The Terrace, central Wellington, yesterday after she became stuck.
Money’s adventures began about midday on Monday when owner Hiuhung Chiu – who goes by the name Yo Yo – called for her cat but no cat came.
As the afternoon progressed, Yo Yo became increasingly concerned for Money, who is due to have her first birthday on Saturday.
She kept calling, so much so that she began to annoy the neighbours. ‘‘People thought maybe I’m crazy.’’
But early yesterday morning, she heard meows from her neighbour’s roof. A friend scaled the steep roof and discovered Money was stuck down a chimney.
He tried lowering a sheet in but couldn’t get it close enough, so the fire service was called.
Without pussy-footing around, they too scaled the roof but, even with a torch, rope and camera, were unable to see Money.
Two trucks, with a total of six crew including an aerial unit, were on the scene, as were two SPCA officers.
From the sound of meows, they finally figured the cat was stuck behind a blocked off fireplace.
Two holes were cut in the wall, then through the brick chimney, before finally Money’s face appeared at the hole.
‘‘It’s like my daughter came back, like my family,’’ Yo Yo said yesterday as Money settled back into home – where she would stay, inside, for the rest of the day for some food, drink and a well-earned catnap.