Kitten Rescued from Excavator Becomes Ohio Shop Cat

A crying kitten trapped inside an excavator wasn't on Chase Guello's work schedule, but the operating supervisor at River Reach Construction knew exactly what to do.

On July 14, Guello spotted the tiny kitten stuck in the heavy machinery at their Ohio construction site. He grabbed a drill, removed the excavator's skid plate, and watched the kitten plop down in what viewers later called "a superhero landing."

The rescue video earned over 610,000 views on Instagram. Workers searched thoroughly for the kitten's mother and siblings but found no trace of them.

The team named her Sue, inspired by the Komatsu brand excavator that had trapped her. Within hours, they had a plan for her future.

Guello's mother knew an experienced foster volunteer at One of a Kind Pets, a rescue center in Akron. Sue would spend her first few weeks there getting healthy and socialized.

Then she'd move in with Jared, the company's shop mechanic who grew up on a farm. The plan was simple: Sue would become River Reach's official shop cat, traveling between work and home with Jared each day.

By late July, Sue had passed her vet checkup and settled into her new routine. On July 30, Komatsu sent her custom gear—a tiny hard hat and safety vest made just for her.

"We think Sue is ready for the job site!" River Reach posted alongside photos of their newest coworker.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine isn't just the adorable rescue—it's watching a construction crew treat a vulnerable creature with such care. These environmental restoration workers spend their days healing rivers and wetlands across Ohio, removing dams, and managing stormwater systems.

Finding room on their team for one small kitten? That tracks perfectly. Guello said the attention has brought unexpected exposure to River Reach's environmental work, and he's grateful people are learning about habitat restoration alongside Sue's journey.

In his latest update, Guello laughed that Sue is already outgrowing her gear after just two months. Komatsu is sending bigger equipment.