Staff at Waste Processing Plant Save Stray Kitten

Employees at a large waste management centre successfully rescued a young cat by broadcasting feline sounds through the facility's speaker system.

Workers discovered the tortoiseshell kitten inside the tipping hall—where waste materials are deposited—at the Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility located near the M5 motorway at Javelin Park.

To coax the frightened animal out of its hiding place, staff members played recordings of kitten calls throughout that section of the building. They also established a clear, safe route leading toward the facility's reception area, which the young cat eventually followed.

A veterinary examination confirmed the kitten was in good health. When attempts to locate an owner through social media proved unsuccessful, a member of the facility's team and their partner decided to give the cat a permanent home.

Rob Hayward, the plant's general manager, noted that discovering kittens at the site is unusual. However, he explained that their careful monitoring systems enabled staff to notice the animal and help it. Hayward expressed satisfaction that the kitten now lives comfortably with her new family.

The large-scale facility, which began operations in 2019 at a construction cost of £600 million, processes up to 190,000 tonnes of household waste that cannot be recycled or reused—though in this case, they also rescued a kitten, now named Callie, by her adoptive owners.