There are lots of weird creatures you can expect to see in the open water while fishing, but an Alabama fishing crew were not prepared to come across this unexpected catch. Their fishing trip to the Gulf of Mexico near Perdido Pass soon turned into a rescue mission when they spotted a poor little kitten struggling in the water. By being in the right place at the right time, these heroes we needed to hear about today saved the kitten’s life. No one knows how he got into the water, bearing in mind that most cats actually hate baths. Luckily, instead of drowning or becoming an easy snack for aquatic animals, this kitty found a cozy place he can call home. He might have used up one of his lives, but he has 8 great ones to go!

A fishing crew spotted a kitty fighting for his life in open waters

On one charter boat’s trips to the Gulf of Mexico, Still Flyin Charters crew saw an animal they never expected to see in the water. At first, they thought it was a sea turtle, but quickly came to a shocking realization that this “turtle” had ginger fur. They scooped the frightened kitten out of the water and brought him into the boat.

“We were fishing just outside Perdido Pass when I spotted something struggling to stay up and getting sucked out into the gulf. We immediately pulled in our lines and maneuvered over to it. Positioned ourselves down current of the cat and used a dip net for bait to pick him up,” Steve Crews, owner and operator of Still Flyin Charters, recalled the incident and told Bored Panda about it.

The kitten looked terrified and shocked. The whole crew was dedicated to keeping him safe until they reached the shore.

“He was shaken at first. It took him a little bit to get his wits about him. I held him in my lap and drove the boat until he started to come to. Then one of the kids fishing held him for a while,” said Crews.

“I think we just did what anyone else would’ve done. We just happened be at the right place at the right time. He wouldn’t have made it otherwise”

“Our catch of the day”: after rescuing the kitty, the crew shared this heartwarming story on Facebook

Still Flyin Charters posted a story on Facebook. People speculated that the kitten might have been gotten rid of by a heartless owner or used as shark bait, while the crew thinks he got caught in the tide. And while none of the theories can be proven, we can only be glad that this story has a happy ending.

The kitten went home with the person who found him and later found a permanent family he’s still getting used to

Upon reaching the shore, the kitty went home with Steve Crews, but they quickly realized that, true to his stray nature, he was actually terrified inside and preferred hanging out outside. They later found a permanent home for the kitty and he’s still slowly getting used to it.

“Initially, he came home with me, but he didn’t want to be inside. My friend ended up taking him home since he lives in an area where the cat is safer outside. He’s doing great. He’s still a feral cat. We will see if that changes over time, but he’s still really skittish of people,” he said.

Due to the unusual circumstances he was found in, there is so much inspiration for the kitty’s new awesome name. People came up with a variety of aquatic names from Catfish to Ocean, Sailor, or Nemo, but Crews and his wife were considering two options: Shark Bait and Lucky. They settled on the more quirky one, Shark Bait, but don’t know if the new owner has approved it.