SAVANNAH, Ga. - A 10-week-old kitten plummeted from a tall Savannah, Georgia bridge into the water below but survived and swam to shore.
Police suspect somebody threw the animal off the span and are looking for suspects.
The kitten is being called "Nemo" by caregivers at the Savannah animal shelter where he's recovering after Thursday's ordeal, said Julian Miller, a spokesman with Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan police. Miller visited the cat at the shelter Friday, and says he's expected to survive.
"No broken bones," Miller said. "He has several lacerations over and below his eye and his chin."
"The cat is very, very shy right now, and trying to find things to hide under, not very trusting," Miller added.
Construction crews reported hearing a noise Thursday and then seeing the kitten falling toward the water.
"But so far we've found nobody who actually saw anybody on the bridge throwing the cat," Miller said, adding it's unlikely a young kitten would climb the bridge on its own and then fall.
Construction workers alerted the crew aboard a nearby Marine Patrol boat as the cat struggled to make its way to shore, Miller said.
The kitten made it to the bank, but got stuck in the mud.
"The cat is gray, the mud on the bank is gray," Miller said. "Had they not pointed it out to the Marine Patrol, nobody would have seen him."
Miller didn't know exactly how far the kitten fell, but said the bridge is tall enough to allow yachts and sailboats to pass under it.
Police said Friday that they have no leads on a suspect. Police have said they're hoping for tips from the public to help them find the person who threw the kitten.
Several families have shown an interest in adopting Nemo, Miller said.
"This community goes berserk about animals," he said.