Cat gets stuck in dumpster in Northern Colorado, resulting in elaborate rescue operation

A kitten got trapped in a dumpster in Northern Colorado late last week, and it was only through teamwork that a group of rescuers was able to free it.

It happened on Friday in the Fort Collins area. Crews from Poudre Fire Authority responded after someone alerted them to a frightening situation where a cat was inside a dumpster and somehow got its head caught in a small opening at the base as it was trying to exit.

After checking out the situation, crews determined that the only way to save the brave animal, whose little head was still stuck, would be to use heavy equipment.

Dr. Amanda Cavanagh, an emergency veterinarian from Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, was called to the scene and gave the cat a sedative to help it relax during the rescue. 

"The strong material of the dumpster and tight fit required extremely precise use of powerful tools often used in vehicle extrications," PFA wrote in a post on social media on Monday.

The rescue was a success, and the animal is now being taken care of at NOCO Humane in Loveland. PFA said it hopes that there's a "lucky family" in the kitten's future that will adopt it.