Englewood Cliffs police, along with firefighters, DPW workers and members of the Cliffside Park Humane Society, could see the kitten through a special camera.
After nearly seven hours, they were still having trouble getting him out safely, though.
So Humane Society workers rigged a set-up: They put sticks over the hole with an opening through which only the kitten could fit. They also spread some cat food.
Then they retreated.
Mama cat
Sure enough, the mother moved her other newborns away while the orange-tabby father stuck his head into the hole — and pulled out his trapped offspring.
The entire pack then bolted to another backyard.
Center Street resident Maria Tsucalas spotted the litter of kittens on her neighbors property a few days ago.
On Tuesday, she was startled by shrieks for help.
Tsucalas, who’s involved in animal rescue, and her neighbor checked the woman’s basement, knocking on the walls to see whether the kitten was stuck in there.
Last night, the cries were heard again.
This morning, Tsucalas pinpointed the sound to a PVC pipe sticking from the ground next to her neighbor’s house. Englewood police and firefighters responded to her call at 8 o’clock this morning, she said. DPW diggers weren’t far behind.
Humane Society workers were planning to round up the kittens for adoption and get the mother spayed.
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