We were called in this week to a business premises in Crawley, and were led to a closed office containing what turned out to be “Mina” (our rescue name), and a hole in the ceiling!

What had happened?

Apparently, there had been noises and shuffling sounds overhead for some time which had initially been assumed to be mice or possibly birds. They came and went, and after persisting for a while the staff called in an animal charity.

Unfortunately, said charity declared that as the cats were in the ceiling, there was “nothing they could do” – due to the small space – that was just before Christmas.

How to make an entrance

Christmas passed, New Year came and went and the noises continued on and off, until this Monday the 3rd of February, when little Mina decided to literally make an entrance and dropped in through the ceiling, when a part of it broke beneath her. Luckily she landed safely into an empty office where quick thinking staff shut the door and kept her in.

Even more fortunate, a Feline 1st member works close nearby and, as soon as she was contacted, took immediate action and got Mina into care with one of our excellent fosterers. We immediately got her vet checked and straight away started giving Mina the TLC she so desperately needed. Being only 1.9 kilos in weight, the brave little Tortie has in one day, gone from being terrified to purring and puddening happily in a warm, soft bed.

Think of what she must have gone through

Imagine how frightening it must have been, trapped in almost total darkness. She most likely had no food except the odd insect, rat or spider, with little, if any, water. Yet for all that trauma she has become a calm, friendly and quite lovely young girl. She is probably about a year old, and definitely made of strong stuff to have survived.

What’s next for Mina?

She will be given the help she needs. Mina has already been offered a new fresh start in a loving home, when she is fit for rehoming.

It is a mystery exactly how she ended up trapped, there’s no obvious way to access the ceiling space and there is no, at least for now, other apparent way in – though the office are planning to remove further panels shortly to investigate further, as it is possible that there may be two more cats to save.

If that is the case, Felines 1st will return, doing what it does so well, being there when needed, caring at all times and giving cats a new chance in life. That’s who we are, and what we do.