Firefighter gives cat mouth-to-mouth and lives to tell about it

Firefighter Al Machado rescued a cat from a burning, second-floor apartment in New Bedford, Massachusetts yesterday. "It really needed air and it couldn't wait," he told the Standard-Times newspaper. He began mouth-to-mouth breathing on the cat as he carried it out to the sidewalk, where police and paramedics were ready with oxygen, and left it with them while he went back inside the apartment. Paramedics administered oxygen while he was inside the building and, at the next opportunity, Mr. Machado resumed mouth-to-mouth, and the cat, a tiger angora, revived and was resting comfortably in the animal rescue van, awaiting a ride to the veterinarian.

Two pit bulls were also rescued. Henry's Travels assumes that they did not require similar resuscitation, only oxygen from plain old tanks.

Mr. Machado, you are one brave soul. We would like to send you some mouthwash, as angoras are renowned for their halitosis.