State troopers in Washington have dealt with the unlawful disposal of boats in the region before. They get reports about abandoned boats all the time, but this was the first time they’d seen one like this.

Trooper Sage Schafer and his supervisor were out that day on what appeared to be a routine finding of an abandoned watercraft. It had been laying on its side on the side of the freeway for around 24 hours after tumbling off the blocks it was put on.

The contents of the boat were spilling out into the road as the troopers arrived on the scene. But it wasn’t the pile of trash or the strewn equipment that drew their attention.

The sound of weak wailing could be heard coming from the boat…

It wasn’t long before they realized the sounds they were hearing were obviously kitten screams. Trooper Schafer and his supervisor began going through the trash right away.

The endeavor looked to be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack, since they had to do a lot of digging to discover the screams.

The moment of truth had finally arrived. They discovered four helpless kittens with no sign of their mother. The newborns couldn’t have been much older than a few days.

They snuggled together instinctively for warmth, their eyes closed.

It wasn’t apparent if they’d been abandoned on the boat, were born on it, or were later placed on it. Even if the riddle of how they got there may never be answered, one thing was certain: these kittens required immediate assistance.

The cops began searching the area for any signs of the mother cat, but came up empty-handed. It was hard to tell whether or not their mother had left the kittens there in the first place.

The authorities were unwilling to accept the danger of leaving them in the boat. They realized the tiny kittens wouldn’t be able to live without their mother for long, it was past time to act.

The authorities then sought assistance from a seasoned local animal rescuer. Fortunately, the rescuer stepped in and welcomed the kittens with open arms.

According to the cops, the rescuer requested anonymity but was always prepared to aid animals in need. The kittens were quickly transported to the veterinarian, who gave them a clean bill of health.

It was now time for them to grow large and strong thanks to constant bottle feedings and lots of rest. These kittens have a bright future ahead of them, with their stomachs full of formula milk and a warm, safe place to sleep.

Trooper Schafer responds to an abandon boat on it’s side, E/B I-90 milepost 173. While on scene, he heard the cry of baby kittens. After a little searching through debris he located 4 baby kittens. They are in good hands and doing well! pic.twitter.com/2UrTlnH1f0

— Trooper John Bryant (@wspd6pio) November 27, 2020