Firefighter Rescues Tiny Kitten From Storm Drain — Then Adopts It

When Houston firefighter Marcus Webb responded to an unusual call last Thursday — a tiny meowing sound coming from a storm drain on Elm Street — he expected a quick 10-minute rescue. Two hours later, covered in mud and grinning from ear to ear, he emerged cradling a 4-week-old tabby kitten. The bodycam footage released by the Houston Fire Department has been viewed 28 million times in four days.

The Two-Hour Rescue

The kitten had fallen approximately 6 feet into a narrow storm drain and wedged herself into a side channel that required firefighters to carefully disassemble part of the drain infrastructure to reach her safely. “We couldn’t just leave her,” Webb said afterward. “You could hear her the whole time. That made it personal.”

The Adoption

When asked what would happen to the kitten, Webb didn’t hesitate. “She’s coming home with me.” His wife, reached by reporters later that evening, confirmed she was “absolutely on board” — though she admitted she “may have already named her” before he even asked. The kitten’s name is Drainpipe. She is reportedly thriving.

Watch The Rescue