Kitty survives jolt, fire and fall from power pole

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

Slideshow

Image: A Philippine Eagle Owl is seen inside the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Rescue Center in Quezon City

Animal Tracks
A big-eyed bird, two baby pythons, a hungry horse and a balding bear – plus more creatures great and small.

more photos

Pet health videos

TODAY

Woof! Meet the world’s tallest dog
Nov. 13: Meet Titan, a white Great Dane from San Diego who has been certified as the world’s tallest dog. TODAY hosts talk to Titan’s owner, Diana Taylor, about life with Titan.

Make your furry friend famous

Shelter dogs aid disabled vets

Dogs sniff peanuts for allergic kids

Corwin fights to save endangered species

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.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

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.