High above Durban’s bustling streets, a frightened cat named Saltori was trapped on the 16th floor of an abandoned building… until compassion came climbing.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (16 October 2025) – Sometimes, the smallest lives remind us just how powerful compassion can be. When a desperate cry echoed from the 16th floor of an abandoned building in Durban, it set off a chain of kindness that would bring one frightened cat and a whole community back from the edge.
Saltori, a gentle kitty, had somehow found himself trapped high above the city streets at 320 West Street. With no food, no water, and no way down, his situation was dire. But his cries didn’t go unheard. Sanele, a local woman passing by, spotted the distressed cat on a narrow ledge and immediately reached out for help. Her message reached the Animal Rescue and Rehab Centre (ARRC) and that’s where everything began to change.
“I received another video from Sanele showing Saltori on the opposite ledge, still crying his heart out,” said a spokesperson from ARRC.
“From 7am I’d been on the phone to hundreds of people trying to locate someone with keys or access to the upper floors. No one seemed to know who the owner was, and most said, ‘phone back tomorrow.’”
But tomorrow was too far away. With time slipping by, fellow rescuer Owen, who lived closer to town, stepped in.
Armed with a cat carrier, he started the climb up 16 flights of dark stairs to reach the trapped feline.
“Thankfully, Owen got to climb the 16 flights of stairs. I doubt my lungs could’ve done it without breaks in between,” joked the ARRC team.
“He found Saltori in a room with a closed door. After putting down water and biscuits, kitty just allowed Owen to pick him up and place him in the carrier. I am so grateful that this boy is out of hell.”
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“So sweet, chatty and very lovable,” they shared, though concern remains that he may have suffered kidney damage from severe dehydration.
After drinking nearly two bowls of water without stopping, Saltori is now under close care, receiving fluids and lots of love.
What began as a hopeless situation turned into a story of resilience and teamwork. It took one person to notice, one call for help, and a handful of determined animal lovers to make the impossible possible. Saltori’s rescue is more than just a happy ending… it’s a reminder that even when the world feels unkind, kindness still climbs sixteen flights of stairs in the dark to save a life.
*The Animal Rescue and Rehab Centre (ARRC) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming abused, neglected, and abandoned animals across KwaZulu-Natal. Run entirely by volunteers and supported through donations, ARRC provides medical care, safe shelter, and second chances to animals in need, proving that with love, compassion, and community support, every life is worth saving.
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