While doing yard work in her Los Angeles backyard, Bri Smith heard what she thought was a bird — but the sound turned out to be a kitten crying from a nearby rubble pile. Following the noise, she found a tiny, meowing kitten stuck between concrete blocks.
Using Churu treats, Bri and her husband lured the kitten out — then quickly rescued a second one that appeared. Concerned there might be more, Bri returned to the rubble and found two more kittens. She caught a third, who was extremely small and had only three legs, but showed no signs of pain.
Bri brought the kittens home, named them Rubble, Mr. Spicy, and Biggie, and gave them a safe space to eat, play, and heal. While Rubble and Biggie adjusted quickly, Mr. Spicy took a bit longer to warm up.
Despite daily efforts with two local rescues — Luxe Paws LA and Boyle Heights Cats — to trap the elusive fourth kitten, he remained missing. During her search, Bri also found their mother — a stray she had fed before — and arranged to have her spayed and safely returned to the neighborhood.