Cat rescue in Italy after quake

Residents of the area damaged by the recent 6.6 magnitude earthquake are returning home. They would have left quickly, perhaps in a panic. Under these circumstances people leave a lot behind including domestic cats and valuables. I understand the situation and domestic cats in Italy will almost invariably be outdoor cats. You can’t collect them up and drive away from the area unless you are lucky and your cat is in the backyard.

In the video the cat introduces the news report but is only a part of it; the cat is another possession which needs to be reunited with “its” owner. It does give us a very real feeling of what it is like after an earthquake causing considerable damage to buildings even though no critical injuries have been reported.

There was a smaller earthquake in the area in August as a result of which many had already left their homes. In that quake 300 were killed. Perhaps this helped to reduce the casualties this time.

As I understand it there has been considerable damage to historic buildings. And Italy is full of these fine, ancient buildings. The government will rebuild but the Italian government is not flush with money, far from it.

The important thing for me is that the cats who have been separated from their human guardians are reunited. In the video you can see the rescue workers persistently grabbing the cat by the scruff of his neck. This looks harsh but it is to try and make the cat more passive by using the kitten reflex.