The holidaymakers were just settling down to enjoy their barbecue when an unsettling scene suddenly caught their attention.
They heard mewing coming from a nearby well, only to find a terrified kitten trapped several metres underground. Fortunately, she had landed on a ledge, and in doing so had avoided drowning.
Several stray cats were present at the scene, including the kitten's mother, who was visibly worried. A second kitten and an older female cat were also frantically trying to reach her. Despite the urgency of the situation, one association refused to intervene, forcing the women to turn to Chats Libres de Béziers. Unable to attend immediately, they passed the call on to the association Museaux en Galère, based in Béziers, France.
An abseiling rescue mission for the kitten
Fortunately, one of the women also alerted the fire brigade, who attended the scene without delay. This was a rare response that was crucial to the tiny kitten's survival.
The rescue team managed to arrange access to the back of the hut that housed the well, before abseiling down to look for the kitten. Desperate for any help, she allowed herself to be caught quickly, quietly sitting in a bag as she was pulled up to safety.
Aged around three and a half months, the young female cat proved very gentle. The rescuers discovered that she had a severed back paw, an old injury that had already healed. Heartbreakingly, this disability may have been the reason for her accidental fall.
The other cats were also taken into care
Thankfully for the feline family, their story didn't end there.
The adult female cats were captured to be identified and neutered by Chats Libres de Béziers. The second kitten was collected in the following days, joining his sister at the shelter. Both will go up for adoption together when they're ready to move on to their new home.
