Animal rescue: Lucky cat uses up one of his nine lives in daring rescue from Yorkshire viaduct

An imperilled puss which became trapped on a ledge between high-speed train tracks and a 45-foot drop has been saved in a daring rescue mission - although his owners are still yet to be found.

The young cat had to be rescued by the RSPCA and West Yorkshire firefighters last week, after becoming precariously stuck on a viaduct ledge in Huddersfield town centre. Concerned members of the public contacted the animal welfare charity after the cat was seen perched near the top of the bridge, on Lower Viaduct Street.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Emmeline Myall attended the scene last Tuesday (5 March), but her ladder wasn’t long enough to reach the cat - who was about 45 feet (13.7 metres) up. A call was made to the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Ms Myall and a firefighter went up in a cherry picker to rescue him, and after a little bit of coaxing he was caught and brought down to safety in a basket. It was unsafe to release the cat at the location and there was no owner on the scene, so he was taken to the charity’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital in Salford, where he was checked over.

"As we went up in the cherry picker to try and rescue him a couple of trains went past at speed. It must have been a terrifying experience and he was very lucky to escape serious injury," the animal rescue officer said. "Looking at the location, he must have walked along the tracks for some time before stopping where he did. I don’t think I’ve ever rescued a cat from such a precarious situation before."

Once safely in her basket, she said the cat was understandably timid and scared at first. "But he soon settled down once he was quieter in the back of my van. He was in good health, but not microchipped which is such a shame as I suspect he may be owned and someone could be missing him."

She thanked firefighters for their care and compassion. Watch commander Steven O’ Keefe added: "We used the aerial appliance and sent that up with firefighter Sam Baxter and an RSPCA officer. Once we got alongside the cat we persuaded him to come closer and then got him into a cat box. It’s one of the more unusual cat rescues I’ve attended but we’re happy it all ended well."

The youngster is now in the care of the RSPCA’s Rochdale & District Branch. Lost and found posters have been put up around the area he was found, but he will be rehomed in due course if no owner comes forward.

The animal welfare charity said the case was a good reminder as to why it is important to microchip your cats. From 10 June this year, a law change means that all pet cats in England will legally need to be microchipped by 20 weeks of age. Owners will also be required to keep their contact details up-to-date on a pet microchipping database.

The RSPCA said that microchipping is the most reliable way of ensuring owners are reunited with lost, injured or stolen pets, no matter where they are found or how long they have been missing. Owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to get one implanted or may face a fine of up to £500.