EMERALD ISLE (WNCT) — A kitten has a new home thanks to an Emerald Isle Police Officer going above and beyond to save it.  

Officer George Blalock’s routine last Tuesday morning started as usual until the police department got a call about a Facebook post saying a cat was on the shoulder of a busy bridge. 

“So, we got a call about somebody seeing a Facebook post with a white cat on the bridge. So, I responded, driving really slow, expecting to see a full-size cat,” said Blalock. “And when I look over to the west side of the bridge, I see a tiny little white fur-ball curled up.” 

He said the kitten was scared when he approached him. He picked him up and put him in the police car. 

“How terrified it must have been,” said Blalock. “You know, it rained the night before, so he had to be cold and wet. He just needed someone to come and pick him up and save him.” 

The Emerald Isle Police Department posted on Facebook about the incident and nearly 15 minutes later, the kitten was adopted. 

“Roy’s Automotive was behind me, which the now current owner works with, and we had taken the picture and put it on Facebook, and she said that she had wanted it, and the owner of Roy’s Automotive got up with me and we got her to adopt a cat,” said Blalock. 

Sally Hubbard adopted the kitten. She describes what it was like when she first saw him. 

The kitten’s new family needs help picking out a name. It’s between Langston or Bridge. You can cast your vote here.

“He was very tired, very shaky, very scared, he was shivering, and probably very hungry because he ate very well when I got him,” said Hubbard. 

Blalock said he’s not sure how the kitten got there in the first place. He thinks because of the weather, he crawled up inside of the engine bays of a car and was dropped. Going forward, he wants to remind people to check their car engines for small animals. 

“Check your engine bays, especially after rain and cold weather,” said Blalock. 

Blalock described how it feels knowing he helped give this kitten a forever home.

“It feels great, you know, a kitten is defenseless, so it’s nice to be able to get it to a nice home where it can be taken good care of,” said Blalock.