Kitten Trapped Inside 500-Pound AC Unit Rescued After Two Hours — And Finds Her Forever Home
On the night of October 5, a Mesa, Arizona resident named Victoria Reese received a frantic call from her boyfriend — and what she saw over FaceTime made her heart stop.
On his screen was a tiny kitten, hopelessly stuck inside an industrial AC unit, her fragile head poking through a hole too small for her body. The little one could barely move, her neck limp from exhaustion and fear.
Reese, a lifelong cat lover who has rescued several kittens before, knew she had to act fast. She dropped everything and rushed to meet her boyfriend. But when she arrived and saw the situation in person, it was even worse than she’d imagined.
“Through FaceTime, I didn’t understand how severe the situation was,” Reese said on TikTok. “When I got there, she was trapped inside this 400- to 500-pound AC unit — and it was really bad.”
The couple’s first concern was safety — thankfully, the unit wasn’t plugged in or operational. Working together, they managed to tip the heavy metal box onto its side, trying to find an angle that would allow them to reach the kitten. They gently coated her with olive oil and dish soap, hoping she might slide free, but every attempt failed.
“She was crying softly, barely moving,” Reese said. “We were terrified we’d lose her if we didn’t get her out soon.”
Realizing they needed professional help, they called the local fire department. When the firefighters arrived, they joined forces with Reese and her boyfriend, carefully pushing and guiding the kitten through the narrow opening.
After nearly two long hours of intense effort, a tiny paw slipped free — and then, finally, the kitten herself.
“I just burst into tears,” Reese recalled. “We were so relieved. I couldn’t believe she was alive.”
Reese wrapped the kitten in a soft towel and held her close all the way home. As she watched the fragile little life nestled against her chest, she knew she couldn’t let her go.
She named the kitten Olive, after the olive oil and Palmolive soap that helped free her from the metal trap.
“This little cutie is now a part of our family forever,” Reese said with a smile.
At the vet, Reese learned that Olive was only two weeks old — far too young to have been on her own. She was weak and dehydrated, but thanks to quick action and lots of love, Olive began to recover.
Within days, Olive was standing on her own, learning to walk, play, and purr. Reese says watching her grow has been “incredibly emotional.”
“She’s learning how to walk properly and even starting to play a little bit,” Reese said. “Seeing her come back to life like this… it’s amazing.”
Now, Olive spends her days wrapped in cozy blankets, sleeping safely beside the woman who saved her life. The cold, heavy AC unit that once trapped her is just a distant memory — replaced by warmth, comfort, and endless love.