Tiny Trapped Kitten Saved by Jaws of Life

— -- Whether it was a slip and fall or curiosity that almost killed this tiny cat, only he knows.

But little "Soldier," as he's called, is alive today thanks to a determined owner, a dedicated animal care and control officer, a local fire department and the Jaws of Life.

"Nothing I had ever done in the past was going to work in this case," Erin Medeiros, the Animal Control Officer from Johnston Police Department in Rhode Island told ABC News. "There were firefighters on both sides of the boulders, trying to pry them open. Nothing was working."

Two days earlier, the homeowner whose property the boulder lines, heard cries," Medeiros said. She couldn't figure out where they were coming from and had to leave for work. The next day, her day off, she heard them again. Determined to find the source, she inspected the crevices of the many boulders on her property and came across a time, two-week-old kitten later identified to be a Flamepoint Siamese.

She called the police department, who dispatched Medeiros. She was met by the Johnston Fire Department. A chief in that department made the call to get the Jaws of Life.

"The whole thing took about 45 minutes," said Medeiros. We took turns trying to comfort him while we tried to figure it out. You could barely get your hand in sideways to pet him. But once the Jaws of Life arrived, he was out in 45 seconds. I just reached in and grabbed him when I got the cue."

A animal foster mom Medeiros has worked with in the past, Julie Ring, was on scene with fluids for the kitten. Flea infested and dehydrated, he was treated immediately and is now in Ring's care. The group named him Soldier because he is "a little trooper."

"It's amazing how everyone came together to save this kitten," Medeiros said. And while it's the first time she's seen the jaws of Life used to save an animal, she said her department rescues animals in need every day. "We have a homeless animal fund that's funded by a pasta dinner I host," she said. "It doesn't cost the taxpayers anything. It's because of the fund that we don't have to euthanize as many animals," she said. The fund, Medeiros said, was able to pay for a leg amputation for a dog that was saved in a snowstorm.

"It's because of that fund that Blizzard [the dog] lived. I knew there was enough money for the operation so I was able to make a split-second decision to have his leg amputated rather than have him humanely euthanized. Now that dog is living the life."

Soon Soldier will have a new, permanent home with one of the firefighters who rescued him. Once he's strong enough, he'll go live with Anthony Rainone and his family.

Solider will also be getting a new name: Jaws.