Putnam SPCA chief: Feral cat still in underground pipe in Brewster 48 hours after first report
Putnam County SPCA Chief Ken Ross said Friday it appears the cat entered an open drain pipe, which bends away from the store underground, and the cat is probably still on the other side of the bend.
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A feral cat still believed to be in an underground drainage pipe outside Marshall's in Brewster has brought out the best in many many residents, first responders and contractors.
Brewster firefighters responded early Wednesday evening to a report of cat beneath the pavement in the pipe.
They opened a manhole to try to reach the cat, but were unable.
A crew from Electric Snake and Drain then arrived to put a camera into the pipe, confirming the cat was still there.
Volunteers with Putnam AdvoCATs then began setting humane traps.
"It's so cold. It's a terrible time for any cat to be outside, but to be possibly stuck is not good," volunteer Kathleen Sutherland said. "Everyone's cooperating and being very helpful and caring."
Putnam County SPCA Chief Ken Ross said Friday it appears the cat entered an open drain pipe which bends away from the store underground, and the cat is probably still on the other side of the bend.
Trained volunteers have also been using food to try to lure out the cat, which is believed to have come from a nearby feral colony.
Ross is asking shoppers to give the cat plenty of space or else the cat might not come out.
Looking into the hole or dropping food down the pipe hurts the rescue mission, Ross said.
"The more people are around that area, the more the cat's going to hear," he said, "and the less chance that the cat's going to come out at anytime when people are there."
If the cat is physically rescued from the pipe, Ross said the cat would be brought back to the feral colony.
Tyler Gonnella, an employee at a nearby restaurant, comes from a family of cat lovers.
His mother was the first to notify authorities about the cat.
Gonnella said any cat that generates this much attention should have a name.
"If it's a male, it would be Marshall. It's only right," he said. "If it's a female, Marsha."
