MILAN, ITALY – An Italian sailor has rescued and revived a drowning kitten at a port in Sicily, after children on the shore alerted the coast guard of the situation.
A sailor jumped into the sea to rescue the cat, which was apparently floating lifeless in the water, while the coast guard ship entered the Marsala port, returning from a patrol mission.
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Crew members administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and massaged the kitten on its back -- the method of CPR used on infants -- in order to remove the water from the cat's lungs. Sailors encouraged the cat and told it to, "Breathe, breathe, wake up.
After a few minutes, the kitten recovered, and began to quietly meow. A veterinarian called to the scene says the kitten is now in good health.
The origin of the kitten was not determined, and he had no tag or identification. But he has been given a new home at the Marsala maritime district office, and has been named Charlie.