LOTTIE’S first unsupervised journey out of her home will long be remembered by her family after the seven-month-old kitten got stuck on the roof – requiring a rescue by the fire service.
No one knows how the cat recently escaped and climbed up the side of her house – but the main thing is that, after a good degree of cajoling, she was scooped up in the trusty arms of a fireman.
Taking up the story, Lottie’s relieved owner Rebecca Lawrence, who is the music teacher at Janvrin Primary school, said: “I arrived home from work just as the evening was turning from grey to deep blue.
“When I stepped out of my car, I immediately could hear a cat meowing incessantly. I looked around and thought it might be trapped in my garage, but I found nothing there.
“It kept crying out and I then realised that I recognised that meow. I ran into the house and called my daughter Emily to ask if Lottie was with her – hoping she was, as Lottie doesn’t do outside adventures on her own yet.
“We both could hear the cries getting louder outside and it was a passerby who said very casually there was cat on our roof.”
Mrs Lawrence continued: “In the encroaching darkness, the little white paws of Lottie could be seen and her meow intensified as she saw us below. She was crossing the top of the roof and I thought she could not get any higher, until she decided to climb onto the dormer window to potentially get a sea view.
“At this point, the fire service was our only option as her attempt to come down towards us ended with skidding paws.
While waiting, Emily and I stood at the bottom holding a blanket stretched out – like something from a film. Kind people passing by offered support.
“Never have I been so relieved to see the fire engine arrive and the team set to work to hatch a plan to get her down.”
Due to the shape of the roof, the firemen could not use a ladder from the outside, so they came into the house and went up the stairs with a ladder.
Mrs Lawrence said: “After many attempts of trying to persuade a very frightened kitten that her adventure should really come to an end, ladders were laid across the roof, a blanket was thrown on top for extra grip, treats were scattered, jingly toys were rattled, and laser beams were used to try to guide her to the window.
“There were two firemen and me squished into a Velux window calling Lottie’s name. Eventually, she started to move, and a fireman scooped her up and through the gap in the window.
She added: “We will never know exactly how she managed to get outside. She either slipped out of a window that was open for about five minutes or escaped when the door opened to put something in the garage. She may have climbed the trellis nearby, climbed the gutter and then climbed up and away.
Mrs Lawrence said that she and the whole family were hugely grateful to everyone involved in the rescue of her kitten.
And Lottie? The centre of attention spent the rest of the evening being snuggled by her relieved family, seemingly unperturbed by her recent rooftop escapades.
