Fire service to the rescue after cat gets stuck behind water cylinder

RESCUE EFFORT: Owner Deborah Norman with cat Gary, who needed to be rescued by the fire service after getting stuck behind a hot water cylinder. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

They've been known to rescue cats from trees, but a moggie stuck behind a hot water cylinder was a somewhat different callout for Rotorua firefighters.

However, Rotorua woman Deborah Norman said she had no qualms dialling 111 for help when she realised her cat Gary was stuck behind the home's hot water cylinder.

"It took [four] of them and they couldn't get him out. They had to knock a hole in the wall to get him out.

"It was just so gorgeous."

Mrs Norman said Gary got stuck when her husband went to get the vacuum cleaner out of the cupboard.

"The next minute I heard him howling. We have a huge hot water cylinder and he was stuck behind it."

Mrs Norman said when firefighters rescued Gary, they found him stuck upside down.

"I called 111... I knew we couldn't get him out. The fire brigade spent well over an hour trying.

"They were just so fantastic. I don't think people know how much firemen actually do."

She admitted while she was a bit worried about calling the Fire Service, "apparently they get it quite a lot".

Mrs Norman said the relief of getting Gary out safe and sound meant she wasn't worried about the damage caused.

She adopted Gary about a year ago when he turned up at the house and made himself at home.

Senior station officer Ben Alton said it was a bit of an unusual callout.

"Usually cats find their way out. This one was quite stuck.

"We had to put a hole in the wall."