Kids & Family

Adorable Kitten Rescued From Dangerous Downtown Street

Tampa Police officers and residents worked hand-in-hand to save the trapped critter.

Picking out a tiny kitten’s cry against the rumble of downtown traffic is no easy feat.

Tampa Police Officers, however, were certain they heard the faintest meow coming from the area of Cass Street and Nebraska Avenue. The sound caught their attention for days, but they were unable to track it down to its furry source.

This is, until Monday night.

Find out what's happening in Tampafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

“A collaborative team effort by some wonderful citizens and Tampa Police Officers Simmons, Graham and Rodriguez allowed for the rescue of a tiny kitten from underground at Cass and Nebraska,” the police department wrote in its Facebook page.

It seems the kitten had managed to become trapped inside a storm drain.

Find out what's happening in Tampafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

See Also:

Working together, officers and residents were able to move the heavy grate covering the drain. With that accomplished, reaching the kitten for a complete rescue became possible.

While all marveled at the plucky critter, it seems Officer John Simmons was knocked off his feet by her cuteness.

“It was love at first sight, the moment Officer Simmons held her,” the agency’s Facebook page noted.

Simmons has decided to keep the kitten and plans to call her Cassie.

Department officials presume the kitten’s new name came from her rescue location. Simmons is a midnight shift officer, so no one wanted to disturb him and his new furry friend Tuesday morning to find out for sure.

Images from the Tampa Police Department Facebook page

Keep up with what’s happening around town and the state by signing up for the South Tampa Patch newsletter.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.