The Stellenbosch Fire Brigade and Rescue recently rescued a kitten from the roof of one of Stellenbosch University’s (SU) women’s residences, Harmonie. This was according to Lynne Rippenaar-Moses, the residence head of Harmonie.*
A rescue mission took place for a kitten that was stuck on the roof of Harmonie, a Stellenbosch University residence, for about four days. This was according to Lynne Rippenaar-Moses, the residence head of Harmonie. PHOTO: Supplied/Monica du Toit
The kitten was rescued on Monday, 4 March. This was after about four days of failed attempts by members of the residence to rescue the kitten, said Rippenaar-Moses. “We didn’t really know who to call. The animal shelter […] couldn’t help because the roof was too high.”
“Because the cat was stuck on the roof and we didn’t have access to a long enough ladder or the proper equipment to gain access to the roof, we called the fire department to help,” said Jessica Perrins, head of fundraising and communications at Animal Welfare Society Stellenbosch (AWSS).
How the rescue mission came about
The fire brigade doesn’t typically save cats, said Craig van Reenen, assistant chief fire officer at Stellenbosch Fire Brigade and Rescue. Van Reenen was the person who climbed up onto the roof to fetch the kitten. “Adult cats can climb down themselves. […] This was a kitten, it would not have been able to get down by itself,” said Van Reenen.
A kitten that was stuck on the roof of Harmonie, a Stellenbosch University residence recently. The kitten was adopted by Harmonie’s residence head, according to Cassidy Lackay. PHOTO: Rachel Jonker
Rippenaar-Moses said she saw a mother cat and two kittens in the gutters of Harmonie around the time when the kitten was discovered on Harmonie’s roof. She noted that the kittens with the mother cat were bigger than the kitten rescued from the roof, leading her to believe that the kitten on the roof was the runt of the litter.
Rippenaar-Moses has adopted the kitten found on the roof of Harmonie. This is according to Harmonie primaria Cassidy Lackay.
Stellenbosch Fire Brigade and Rescue successfully caught a kitten on the roof of Harmonie, a Stellenbosch University residence on 4 March, said Lynne Rippenaar-Moses, the residence head of Harmonie. VIDEO: Lynne Rippenaar-Moses
*Disclaimer: This article was updated on 18 March. The initial version stated that the Animal Welfare Society Stellenbosch (AWSS) was involved in rescuing the kitten from the roof. This is incorrect. While AWSS was contacted, the organisation could not assist with the rescue. The article was updated accordingly.