WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – Bridget the cat, who plunged 70 feet off a bridge into the Columbia River before swimming to shore, may have found a new home in Maine.

The longhaired calico cat, who wore no collar or identification, reportedly jumped from a pickup truck onto the bridge, then ran from swerving vehicles before jumping into the river. Rescuers captured the cat after she swam 600 feet to shore.

The cat, named Bridget after her Nov. 6 plunge, was put up for adoption by the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society.

April Newman, who lives in Thorndike, a small town 38 miles northeast of Augusta, said she hasn’t seen the cat but heard its story last week on a public radio show and became convinced the cat belongs in her home.

“Anyone who’s 8 to 10 years old, who’s gone through as much as she has, deserves to have a wonderful, quiet life,” Newman said.

No one has claimed the cat, said Karen Headlee, director of operations for the humane society. The group has received more than a dozen nationwide inquiries about the cat, but only three serious adoption offers.

Newman said she was searching for flights that would allow her to transport Bridget in the plane’s cabin.

Headlee said Newman, a certified public accountant for the office of the state controller in Augusta, was selected to adopt Bridget because of her history rescuing cats.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.