There are bad places to catch some shut-eye—on the floor of your sibling’s Lego fort, for instance, or balanced precariously atop a mountain of unfolded laundry. But six-week-old “Pigeon,” as recently profiled in both UPI and WCVB’s reporting, may have claimed the title for the single worst spot to nap: a storm drain next to a busy highway on-ramp in Canton, Massachusetts.

Baby’s First Adventure (Unfortunately, Next to Traffic)

The odd misadventure kicked off when, as WCVB details, a passerby noticed a tiny, solitary kitten wandering along Neponset Street—a site sorely lacking in feline rest-stop amenities. The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), as reported by both outlets, was dispatched and their agents soon realized that Pigeon had retreated into a storm drain, his cries echoing up from below like some furry ghost of poor decisions past.

The subsequent rescue process, described in both UPI and WCVB’s accounts, was a careful dance of humane trapping, strategic food placement, and the rather creative application of kitten sounds as a lure. It’s an approach that speaks either to the ingenuity of the rescuers or the simplicity of feline motivations—possibly both. After a short, suspenseful wait, the kitten emerged, lured by food (no surprise there), and was promptly and safely secured.

If this strategy feels oddly reminiscent of classic mouse-in-the-maze problem-solving, you’re not alone. Isn’t it strange to think how much modern urban wildlife management relies on the digital equivalent of “pspsps” and snacks?

An Unusual Name for an Unusually Resourceful Cat

Now, about the name. Both outlets confirm that the kitten, now called Pigeon, was thin, dirty, and weighed in at just over a pound—“underweight and dirty, but otherwise healthy,” UPI quotes ARL as saying. Why “Pigeon?” Perhaps it’s a nod to his urban escapade, or maybe the ARL’s staff, after a week spent wrangling livestock from culverts and cows from Oklahoma swimming pools (yes, UPI mentions that too—quite the period for animal rescues), just went with the first city-adjacent critter that sprang to mind. One wonders if, in another time or place, his name might have been “Stormdrain” or simply “Lucky.”

WCVB elaborates that Pigeon is now steadily gaining weight and being cleaned up at a foster home, prepping for the day he’ll be old enough (and sufficiently robust) for neutering and eventual adoption. Pigeon may be facing a wait of several weeks, which in kitten time probably feels longer than the entire history of storm drains.

Roadside Curiosity and Relocation

Stepping back, both sources—from roadsides to rescue rooms—document a remarkable pattern: animals continually finding themselves in, shall we say, non-traditional environments. UPI’s highlights of recent animal scrapes (a calf in a culvert in Hampshire, a raccoon with its head stuck in a dumpster, that aforementioned cow in a pool) paint a curious zoological portrait of suburban adventure. Has there always been such a steady parade, or are we only just now cataloging it thanks to digital newsrooms and omnipresent camera phones? One wonders if centuries-old court ledgers contained entries for “wayward goose in town well” or “unlicensed pig, market square.”

Returning to present day, WCVB notes the ARL’s reminder that animal distress sightings should be reported to their field services—just in case another small mammal gets ambitious near New England infrastructure. It’s an oddly specific public service role: professionals on call with a playlist of enticing meows and canned tuna at the ready.

And, really, how does a kitten end up alone beside an interstate on-ramp in mid-July? Was it a too-curious exploration, a misjudged leap, or simply the sort of inscrutable feline logic that has baffled humanity for millennia? If you imagine an entire world of storm drains, who can say how many hold similar secrets—or would, were it not for the sharp ears of Good Samaritans.

Lost and (Hopefully) Soon-Found

To sum up: as both UPI and WCVB demonstrate, Pigeon’s storm drain ordeal serves up a classic “odd but true” story—one where misadventure is met with meticulous and admittedly creative human intervention. News reports make it clear that despite his rough start, Pigeon is set for a brighter, safer future—no storm runoff required.

Perhaps that’s the real takeaway. While this kitten’s taste in nap locales leaves much to be desired, the odds are finally stacked in his favor. And with any luck, the next spot he chooses for a doze will be a windowsill—preferably far from manholes, highways, or spontaneous animal-themed headlines. Who among us, in this topsy-turvy modern world, couldn’t use a little less storm drain and a little more sunbeam?