WEST GREENWICH, R.I. -- Labor Day turned out to be lucky for a tiny, blue-eyed kitten that wandered through the large parking lot and gas station area of the TA truck stop on Route 102.
After seeking refuge in the engine of a car being fueled by local resident Kirsten Harrington, the dark gray kitten refused to come out and had to be rescued by two very patient West Greenwich police officers.
According to Officer Donald Fravala, he and Michael Meehan worked for about 45 minutes to try and corral the kitten which was ducking into different crevices of the engine.
Fravala said that even a few squirts of water from a spray bottle could not convince the kitten to exit the engine, so they ended up removing the air filter to give them more room to work.
"The cat just kept dodging us," Fravala said. "We didn't think it would be that involved."
In the end, he said, Meehan was able to get the kitten by the nape of the neck and hand it to Harrington who had decided that she was going to adopt it.
This was the first kitten rescue for Fravala, though he has had to answer some other animal emergencies in his roughly 10 years with West Greenwich police.
"Let's see, once there was a baby bull ... and another time I had to round up three horses," he recalled with a laugh.
"This was all worth it because the girl was so excited and happy to get the kitten."
And the rescued kitten's new name?
Rhody.