Missoula firefighters received a call from pedestrians on a bridge who heard crying from below. The cat was in a cage that had been weighted down with a 16-pound rock, and was trapped in a puddle of slush.

Firefighters put on dry suits and lowered their rescue boat -- called a cataraft -- onto the ice to retrieve the abandoned and emaciated animal.

They took the cat back to the station, where they dried it off and fed it leftover Christmas turkey and a dish of milk, The Missoulian reported Thursday.

By the time his shift was over, Josh Macrow decided to adopt the affectionate cat, but first took it to a veterinary clinic. He was told all it needed was food and affection, and took it home.

"It's the sweetest cat," Macrow said. "It sits on your shoulder when you drive down the road and it curled up with my black Labs this morning."