The mother cat sunning herself on the chimney stack

by Stephen Waite

A mother cat must have been potty to have her kittens 30ft up a roof in a chimney.

The fearless feline chose the lofty heights of the Ypres Tavern pub, in West Street, Sittingbourne, as her home.

But it was time for the moggies to move on after one of her litter, a tabby, fell - prompting a dramatic rooftop rescue yesterday.

Firefighters were called by the RSPCA’s Nicola Honey, who said: "I was quite flabbergasted she was right up there.

"I have never seen a mother cat, dare I say, be stupid enough to have kittens in a chimney on top of a roof."

Vicky Lewis, who has been landlady at the Ypres for two years, said she had been unaware of the cats’ precarious position until Tuesday afternoon.

"A customer came in and said ‘I think you have a cat on the roof’. Then I heard a thud and there was a kitten walking around in our smoking area. He seemed fine."

So the next day - with mum and kitten still on the roof - Nicola dialled 999.

The firefighter charged with carrying out the rescue was Dan Godley. "I just reached in and grabbed hold of the kitten, which was just scared I think," he said. "I don’t suppose it liked being put in a bag."

The mother evaded Dan's attempt to grab her, so a trap was laid - smothered with Whiskas Oh So Fishy. Sure enough, a couple of hours later she took the bait.

Meanwhile, the tabby - who was taken to nearby Fern Cottage Vets in Park Road - was unscathed after his fall.

Veterinary nursing assistant Becky Williams said: "He seemed very scared when he came in, but he was walking fine and there was no sign of damage. He was possibly just slightly concussed. He’s still got eight lives left."

Nicola, who thanked the fire service, said the the mum could be a domestic stray and would be scanned, but was unlikely to have an owner.

She added: "She’s not going to be put down. If she’s feral, we will find her a stable."

Meanwhile, the kittens were being looked after by Nicola and another RSPCA volunteer and will be rehomed.