Officials find kitten near rubble left behind from huge Texas wildfire

The Texas Panhandle is still battling the largest wildfire in the state’s history. The Smokehouse Creek Fire has reportedly caused thousands of cattle to die or go missing, as well as resulted in deaths of at least two people. While devastating, glimmers of hope are showing from the rubble.

One “lucky” black kitten was found near rubble left behind from the Smokehouse Creek Fire near the Lubbock area, according to a Facebook post from the Texas Game Wardens on Tuesday, March 5. Officials said they discovered the kitten while mapping and assessing the rubble in the area.

A little black cat crossed the path of the game warden, and then more followed, the post stated. After following the trail of kittens, the game warden noticed one of them was suffering from singed fur and an injured paw.

A medic from the Texas Task Force One assisted the kitten and determined the injuries were not life-threatening, according to the Texas Game Wardens. 

The area was evacuated during the fire, making it difficult to locate the cat’s owners. Officials have not found the owners as of Tuesday. Water and food were provided and the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team will check on the kittens, the Texas Game Wardens stated.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller stated in a Friday, March 1 update that the “catastrophic” blaze has also caused significant infrastructure damage. The Smokehouse Creek fire is still burning and is 37% contained as of Tuesday, March 5, according to a tweet from the Texas A&M Forest Service.