Crafty Kitten Stows Away On Garbage Truck Leading People On Epic Rescue Mission
"He kept just enough distance that no one could grab him — but made sure to stay close enough to taunt them."
Evan may have had the most adventurous day of his young life. The 4-month-old stray kitten led a slew of Good Samaritans through a long day of hilarious obstacles and near-misses before his rescue finally happened.
And, in the end, it was all thanks to a frog. Yes, a frog.
“[A truck driver] explained that a kitten had hitched a ride deep in the framework of his recycling truck for a 10-mile ride … and then took off before he could grab him,” Samantha Ranlet, marketing communications specialist for SPCA of Wake County, told The Dodo. “Another gentleman from a nearby office building told rescuers that the kitten had jumped from a recycling truck.”
With multiple witnesses, SPCA Wake rescuers tracked the kitten’s location, but it took a few bribes to lure Evan into the open.
“The little fellow came out when he saw us and the food, but kept his distance all day,” Kim, an SPCA Wake rescuer, told The Dodo. “He would come within a couple of feet from us and meow and purr, obviously letting us know that he wanted to be with us.”
Still, Evan flirted with the idea of capture, but never quite fell for the attempts. Several rescuers tried baiting Evan with food, but that didn't do it, either.
"He kept just enough distance that no one could grab him — but made sure to stay close enough to taunt them," the SPCA of Wake County posted on Instagram.
Many hours passed, but rescuers didn’t give up. Eventually, two others joined in with hopes of surrounding sweet Evan so they could help.
“At the very end of the 12-hour day, way past dark, a rescuer was getting ready to call it a night,” Ranlet said. “But as she was wrapping up, Evan was close by, and a little frog jumped at just the right time! The frog distracted Evan for a moment, which was all [rescuer Marie] needed to finally grab Evan and get him to safety.”
Evan purred in Marie’s arms, seemingly unbothered by the events of the day.
You can see part of Evan’s rescue story here:
After all was said and done, Evan had a full vet check by the staff at SPCA. He’s now living with a foster — one of the rescuers — until he finds his forever home. They’re keeping a close eye on him so this doesn’t happen again.
“Sometimes it takes a lot of attempts over the course of days to catch a pet in need, but this group of heroes dedicated themselves to catching him before he could wander off and disappear,” Ranlet said. “He sure had a wild ride that day.”