Kitty survives jolt, fire and fall from power pole

Nevada feline suffered hair loss, but is otherwise fine, firefighters say

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updated 5:37 p.m. ET Sept. 5, 2005

GARDNERVILLE, Nev. - A cat in Nevada is recovering from a foray atop a power pole that left it jolted, frizzled and dazed — and with a little less fur.

Firefighters believe the cat touched a relay switch on the 25,000-volt line while checking out a bird’s nest. It fell from the 40-foot pole and sparked a fire outside a firehouse.

Firefighters found the singed cat near the base of the pole. They assumed it was dead, until they noticed it was breathing. They put it on a blanket and gave it oxygen.

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It turns out the burns weren’t as serious as they looked. One of the firefighters says “the fire just burned all his hair off.”

The cat is expected to make a full recovery, and will be put up for adoption if no one claims it.