video of the incredible rescue<\/a> on its Instagram feed on Tuesday.<\/p>\nThe video shows firefighters and a Riverside County Sheriff\u2019s deputy working together to rescue and resuscitate the cats on the grass in front of the apartment.<\/p>\n
Officials said a fire ripped through the apartment building on Emma Street on Monday. As firefighters were conducting search operations, they found four cats inside a fire-damaged apartment.<\/p>\n
The pets were fighting for their lives.<\/p>\n
Three of the cats were unconscious and not breathing.<\/p>\n
The Riverside County Fire Department said firefighters and a deputy quickly moved the animals outside and \u201cbegan rescue breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additional first responders jumped in to help; officials used three oxygen tanks in the resuscitation efforts.<\/p>\n
The team effort was swift, but calm.<\/p>\n
In the video, one firefighter can be heard gently speaking to the cats.<\/p>\n
\u201cWant some oxygen?\u201d he asked them.<\/p>\n
Other firefighters can be seen kneeling next to the cats on the grass, giving the cats chest compressions, and cradling their heads while trying to get them to breathe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d a firefighter reassuringly tells the cats. \u201cThere we go.\u201d<\/p>\n
As they\u2019re giving the cats oxygen from the tanks, one firefighter directs the crew.<\/p>\n
\u201cSqueeze on it to see what he does,\u201d he explains. \u201cAny breath he takes, he gets 100% oxygen.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the cats start to regain consciousness, one firefighter can be seen giving them sips of water from a plastic bottle.<\/p>\n
All four cats survived.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour cats are alive today because firefighters and a deputy refused to give up,\u201d the fire department’s Instagram post read.<\/p>\n
The fire department said the cats were soon \u201cup and walking around,\u201d thanks to the teamwork and determination of the crew.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat work by our firefighters and law enforcement partners who went above and beyond to save lives \u2014 no matter how small,\u201d the post added.<\/p>\n
As of 2:30 p.m. Friday, the Instagram post had more than 263,000 likes and nearly 10,000 comments, many of them hailing the firefighters as the cat’s pajamas.<\/p>\n
\u201cSobbing in gratitude. What compassionate heroes,\u201d one person commented.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for caring so much!\u201d another person wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not crying, you\u2019re crying,\u201d read another comment.<\/p>\n
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