Stranded cat rescued from Metro station in Kerala after 6

Perched atop a 40-ft high pillar at a Metro station here without food and water for six straight days, a stray cat was retrieved after over a two-hour long rescue operation on Sunday.

Locals, who heard the meows of the distressed feline, stuck on top of the column at Vyttila Metro station, informed the officials, who didn't have the right equipment to reach it.

However, on receiving information about the stranded cat, the fire and rescue service personnel reached the spot and brought it down using a crane on Sunday noon.

Initial efforts to coax the animal to jump onto nets placed below the pillar failed.

Finally, the fire and rescue officials managed to reach the top of the pillar using the crane and the cat jumped down and fell onto a net held below by some animal lovers.

"It was a very tough job. But we are very happy.. we could rescue the cat," a Fire department official said.

The cat tried to run away from the scene but was caught and taken to a veterinary facility in the neighbourhood.

The Metro services were not disrupted during the operation, they said.