“There was no way this tiny ball of fur could make it on her own”: Good samaritan and emergency crew spend 6 hours rescuing kitten trapped on a Dubai overpass

Now yes, this story is about a scared kitten who found itself in genuinely the last place a cat should be, like swimming on a lake would be more reasonable than this. But what is most impressive about this story is the manpower, time and resources that city officials authorized to use in order to save this defenceless kitten. We will not spoil this story for you with all the details, but we will say that with the myriad of stories out there where a heroic hooman stepped in to save the day, the most the hooman ever had, was a helping hand and a donated blanket.

Any expenses came out of their own pocket, and no one really wanted to help them on their hero's journey. But in the case of this kitten, all those cheap thoughts seem to have flown out of the window and landed far, far away, as little to no expense was spared to save this sweet kitten.
 

Fluff. Chaos. Drama! Our weekly cat newsletter has it all -  subscribe here.

Author image for Laurent Shinar Laurent Shinar
Advertisement
  • 01
    Figured I'd share what happened on the night of 11/11/21. I was heading out to Al Qudra for a ride and took my usual exit to Shk. Mohammed bin Zayed road from Al Asayel st. This was around
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement
  • 02
    $ 24923 DUBAI NG Service tunnel where the kitten is stuck
    via nichukabra
  • 03
    8pm. While on top of the massive fly over bridge (previously referred to as "Death roundabout") I spotted what looked like a tiny kitten sitting on the side of the road.
    via nichukabra
  • 04
    RTA trying to reach the service tunnel but the ladder is too short. Height is 25 meters
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement

  • Jheez, what a terrifying sight to see a creature so small and innocent held high in the air amongst the maelstrom and chaos of a high-speed road. And no less for this heroic hooman to have the presence of mind to spot the catto, come to a stop in time and get to work. It is truly spectacular.

  • 05
    Pulled over into the emergency lane and stepped out to take a look. It was indeed a kitten that was probably abandoned. There was no way this tiny ball of fur could make its way to the top of a bridge.
    via nichukabra
  • 06
    MOG SCANIA 1 lane closed and Moog crane arrived on site. There is only 1 across the UAE
    via nichukabra
  • 07
    As I approached, the kitten got spooked and ran into the service tunnel.
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement
  • 08
    SCANIA 65947 R1 Y
    via nichukabra
  • 09
    I called the RTA emergency line and gave all of the details. Didn't know if they would respond or tell me that there is nothing they can do. To my surprise, around 40 minutes later, I get a call from an RTA team of 5 people saying that they are enroute and will try to help me out.
    via nichukabra
  • 10
    Service tunnel Clearing debris out of tunnel
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement
  • 11
    Their foreman (Naresh) then told me that he has called for an articulated crane and another 2 teams that will be blocking off one lane of the bridge.
    via nichukabra
  • 12
    058-2901029 Second crane arrives on site
    via nichukabra
  • 13
    As the debris was clear, the kitten got spooked and ran to the other side of the bridge. We needed another plan.
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement
  • 14
    The kitten spooked by the noise, ran to the other side. With the second crane on the way, I suggested to make a long stick out of broom handles with a plastic cushion on the end to push the kitten out of the tunnel. Crane went down to collect brooms
    via nichukabra

  • We have to be honest, the amount of resources and time that have gone into this rescue are pretty insane. Like, it would be a hard thing to imagine in many other countries that government funded employees would care enough about one time kitten to mobilize several crews and machinery. Outstanding.  

  • 15
    What it looked like from the bottom.
    via nichukabra
  • 16
    Since there is no way for a person to fit into that little tunnel, I suggested we make a VERY long stick out of broom handles, attach a plastic bag on the end for cushioning and try to gently push the kitten towards one of the teams in the cranes.
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement
  • 17
    Tying brooms together.
    via nichukabra
  • 18
    I would like to thank RTA for their time, effort and resources that were spent on rescuing this little thing.
    via nichukabra
  • 19
    Dubai Network: Nov 12, 2021 3:49:46 AM GMT+04:00 Local Nov 12, 2021 3:49:19 AM GMT+04:00 1 concerned resident, 2 cranes, 20 RTA personnel and 6 hours later, the kitten is rescued!
    via nichukabra
  • Advertisement
  • 20
    In all honesty, I didn't expect anything to happen when reporting it to them but their response was simply amazing.
    via nichukabra
  • 21
    Looking for a good home. Away from bridges!
    via nichukabra

For a weekly dose of animal-themed community challenges - Subscribe to our Newsletter!

Can't get enough of ICanHasCheezburger? Find us on Instagram!

Tags

crew fur spending road emergency could dubai tiny cat stories ball kitten reddit story trapped good samaritan rescue story hours make rescue
Scroll Down For The Next Article

Also From I Can Has Cheezburger?

Cleaner’s complaint gets Scribbles, the campus cat, barred from dorm rooms, so crafty senior student forces administrators to soften the ban: “I was upset by the college email, but Scribbles was more so”

Cleaner’s complaint gets Scribbles, the campus cat, barred from dorm rooms, so crafty senior student forces administrators to soften the ban: “I was upset by the college email, but Scribbles was more so”

Trending Now

‘Even the bats I’ve handled were easier than him’: How a Feral Street Cat in Dubai Fought Off Help Until One Stubborn Biologist Refused to Give Up

‘Even the bats I’ve handled were easier than him’: How a Feral Street Cat in Dubai Fought Off Help Until One Stubborn Biologist Refused to Give Up

01
The shelter was wrong when they told this hearty hooman these cat siblings are indifferent to each other, the clingy cute pictures prove otherwise: 'They are virtually inseparable'

The shelter was wrong when they told this hearty hooman these cat siblings are indifferent to each other, the clingy cute pictures prove otherwise: 'They are virtually inseparable'

02
20 Funniest Lol-Worthy Cat Memes of the Week From Your 'I Can Has Cheezburger' Feline Family (July 11, 2025)

20 Funniest Lol-Worthy Cat Memes of the Week From Your 'I Can Has Cheezburger' Feline Family (July 11, 2025)

03
22 Pawfect Pictures of Cozy Cats in PJs Ready to Sleep Away the Weekend

22 Pawfect Pictures of Cozy Cats in PJs Ready to Sleep Away the Weekend

04
29 Feline Follies for Cat‑Obsessed People in Need of a Floofily Funny Week

29 Feline Follies for Cat‑Obsessed People in Need of a Floofily Funny Week

05
Looking for Mr. Handyman

Looking for Mr. Handyman

06
Advertisement