Humane Society Euthanizes Kitten Rescued by Firefighters

The kitten who meowed its way into the consciousness of a Mission Street business owner earlier this week and, ultimately, the South Pasadena Fire Department, has been euthanized after surviving a 15-mile trip beneath the hood of a car. 

Ricky Whitman, vice president of community relations for the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, told Patch on Friday that the animal was very young, underweight and not healthy. 

"Although it was alive, this kitten was suffering. It was not responding well, it was semi-feral, it weighed a pound and a half and it was highly traumatized. It had an infection, you could see that in the pictures of its face.

"We felt it most humane to euthanize it,'' Whitman said. 

The animal looked to have been abandoned by its mother, and was not fully weaned, which could explain why it wouldn't eat solid food, Whitman said, noting the veterinarian did not see a successful outcome for this kitten.

''It's not unusual for people to bring in very young kittens. If they're very, very healthy [they might make it.] But this little one was really beyond sick,'' she said.

News of the euthanization came as a blow to Kelly Kidd, owner of Kidd's Jewelry Heist in South Pas. Kidd was the one who traced Wednesday's meowing to the parking lot behind Dinosaur Farm. He thought the sound was coming from a car, but after looking in all the windows didn't see a cat. So he put notes on several windshields, then, much later still hearing the meowing, called the fire department. Firefighters rescued the kitten beneath the hood of a car that had come from Sunland, some 15 miles away.

Kidd had hoped the rough-and-tumble kitten's story would ensure it an adopted home.

"This really upsets me,'' he said by phone Friday. "I'm shocked that they determined it was so sick. I watched it stand up and run around and fight to get out of the box,'' he said. 

After a long pause, Kidd added, "What was the point of it all? To rescue the woman's car? I mean, couldn't they wait to see how it would do? It all just happened yesterday.''

Patch has a call into the Humane Society veterinarian. But Whitman said the doctor is in surgery all day, and may not return the call until late Friday. 

Related:

Firefighters Rescue Kitten Trapped Under Car Hood During 15-Mile Ride

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