Cat rescued from Galleria rooftop after Hoover community comes together

If there is ever a time when a community will truly come together, there is generally an animal involved, and this story is no different. 

When a video of a cat stuck on the roof of the old Sears building at the Riverchase Galleria started circulating on Facebook, volunteers from Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue and locals jumped into action to help it down. 

Coming together to save the cat

The cat had been stuck on the roof for at least four days without food and water, and there was not a way to get to the roof from the inside of the building, according to the original post with a video of the cat shared Oct. 13.

Kitty Kat Haven was quick to respond, and Hoover fire and police, volunteers and Galleria security started to brainstorm ways to help the cat get down. They were able to set humane traps and set out food to lure it. 

Stephanie Brown, a board member of Kitty Kat Haven, emphasized the importance of using caution and care when trying to carry out a rescue operation like this. 

“The best way is to try to have a little bit of a hands-off approach, which does require more patience. It does require some time. This may have been like an overnight or two-day event where you have to set out the trap and wait for the cat to come and get the food, and while doing so get humanely trapped.”

Rescuers noticed that the cat had an ear clip, which is a universal sign that a cat has been trapped, neutered and released (TNR) and is part of a known and cared-for feral colony, but Kitty Kat Haven still wanted to capture the cat to make sure it was fully vetted. 

Eventually, volunteers began setting up plants to make a ramp for the cat to come down, but before the cat had the opportunity to come down on its own, an untrained volunteer frightened the cat against rescuer advice, and the cat jumped 20-30 feet off the building and ran away. 

“It’s real easy to come out all passionate and hyped-up when there’s a cat stuck on top of one of the largest and most popular buildings in Hoover… But if you really care and want to make a difference? Don’t be a lone wolf. Foster. Volunteer. Join a TNR team.”

Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, Facebook post Oct. 14

The folks at Kitty Kat Haven were not able to fully vet the cat and make sure it was okay. 

The good news, however, is that the cat got off the roof and rescuers saw it run off. 

What to know before attempting to rescue a cat

During a high-stress situation, it can feel like the right thing to do is to act to save the animal as soon as possible, but Brown said that local rescues — whether or not they are Kitty Kat Haven or another reputable animal shelter — are always there to help. 

“We have a whole team of TNR volunteers and rescuers who have decades of experience and know what it takes to trap feral cats who are not gonna be friendly toward people. They’re gonna be skittish, but need to be trapped or need to be removed to a different location for whatever reason… We will always at least be able to give advice, and we can lend out traps.”

But what to take away from this story, she said, is how the community came together when an animal was in need. 

“Everybody kind of dropped everything and went out and did so on lunch breaks, in between working and managing their lives, which was the incredible part of it.”

Kitty Kat Haven is a fully volunteer-run nonprofit based in Hoover that was founded in 2017. Since then, they have become more involved in managing feral colonies and TNR activities. They are the largest cat-only rescue in the area. 

To learn more about the Haven and ways to get involved, check out their Facebook and website.

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