We went for an afternoon drive to pick up yet another fish tank, and on our way home we receive a call from my partner’s distressed Mum.
Mum: “A kitten has fallen down a pipe.”
Partner: “What?”
Mum: “She was walking around and slipped into the open pipe. I can’t reach her.”
Partner: “What?! Which pipe?”
Mum:“The one in the garden. Under the window.”
Partner:“Okay…?”
Me:“Which kitten is it?”
Mum:“Your favourite one.”
We shot a glance at each other trying to figure out whether it was Magic or Pebbles.
Partner:“We are about 20 minutes away, we will be there soon.”
We arrived to hear Magic calling from within a 15cm diameter vertical pipe. The top of the pipe should have been covered with a plastic grate, but it had been blown off in the wind. We couldn’t see her down the bottom, where there was mucky gross-smelling mud. She had climbed into the pipe connected to the side of the upright pipe at 90°.
My partner shoved fabric down there for her to climb up on, but she is too young to do that. We reached into the pipe but couldn’t get to her because she was backing into the horizontal pipe, further under the house. We didn’t want her to die down there. We had to try anything and everything to get her out.
The other two kittens (Pebbles and the brother) slept soundly less than a metre away. Bubby, the mother cat made sounds like “mmmm-rrrrrr” as she patrolled the pipe hearing her baby call from below.
My partner reached down into the pipe. His hand could only get to the top of the horizontal pipe opening, not far enough to get to the kitten.
He was nearly in tears. He desperately wanted to save the kitten. We all did.
I decided to race home and get the small collapsible pen to put the other kittens in, while we figured out a way to reach Magic. By the time I arrived back, my partner was freaking out. He was trying everything he could to save the kitten.
I then realised the pipe must be the collection for the kitchen sink and dishwasher, as it was directly under the kitchen window. We decided to turn the kitchen tap on to check. Of course water came out the pipe and the poor kitten meowed louder, but the saving grace was she popped her head out of the horizontal pipe and stayed there as the tiny stream of water left the pipe. My partner stuck his hand back into the pipe as far as he could, nearly getting suctioned to the sides. He grabbed the kitten by the only fur he could, on the back of the head and clung on. He pulled the kitten up out of the pipe.
Magic, freed. We wrapped her in an old sheet.
Shivering and cold, we took her into the laundry and put some warm water in the trough to give her a wash and to warm her up.
After her bath we dried her in a soft towel.
Magic was free. Stressed, anxious, cold and wet but free. We held onto her for about 15 minutes to give her a chance to warm up from our body heat. She was fine. She is a tough little thing.
Safe in the new pen, Bubby cleaned Magic.
The kitten’s exploring days are far from over, but at least they are safe in the pen.
No more running free, dear kitties.
Magic, Pebbles and Brother
A Tiny Magic Update – Sun 17 2024
The following day we went to visit the kittens to check how Magic was.
We arrived to be told that Bubby (Mum cat) had, over night, removed each of the kittens out of the pen and hid them behind the water tank. She clearly didn’t like them being in the pen. The kittens were returned to the pen. Once we arrived to check them, they were fine and happy.
She was fine. Although we are a little concerned about the brother, he is not as active or attentive as the girls.
The girls had a tussle, battling out some ancient gladiatorial reenactment, while the brother wandered around in the back in his own world.
Such cute kittens, they are doing so well.