ELIMSPORT – A cat believed to have died in a kitchen fire on Elimsport Road Sunday morning, July 24th got a second lease on life thanks to volunteer firefighters who helped revive the feline minutes after it was brought outside.

The fire at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Miller at 3743 Elimsport Road was discovered by a neighbor about 8:50 a.m., Washington Township Fire Chief Brett Ulrich said.

“We caught it early, and made a quick knockdown,” Ulrich said of the fire, which was brought under control within 10 minutes. The Millers were not home.

A firefighter brought out the lifeless cat and laid it on the ground.

Clinton Township Fire Chief Todd Winder soon noticed the cat in the pathway of where firefighters were working so he bent down to move it out of the way so no one would step on it.

“We really thought it was dead,” Winder said.

However, he then saw the cat’s diaphragm moving as it appeared to be gasping for air.

“We cleared its airways and gave it oxygen (from a small tank) carried in a medical bag on (the) Washington Township rescue truck,” Winder said.

After it was revived, the cat “didn’t want to have anything to do with me. It started to claw me. No good deed goes unpunished,” Winder said, laughing. He put the cat down, and it made its way to the garage.

“He definitely saved that cat,” Ulrich said of Winder.

The revived cat and a second one that apparently got out on its own later were reunited with the Millers, who were staying with relatives, Ulrich said.

The origin of the fire was in the area above the refrigerator, but the cause remained undetermined, he added. A state police fire marshal responded to the scene.

The Millers had insurance to cover the damage, which Ulrich estimated to be about $20,000. He said the couple should be able to be back in their home within a month.

In addition to Washington and Clinton townships, firefighters from Montgomery and Warrior Run Area responded to the fire.