(PIKES PEAK REGION, Colo.) — A street cat got stuck behind a water heater and had to be rescued with the help of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR).

According to HSPPR, Lilly was a street kitty who thrived outside and would on occasion grab a snack from a kind person living in the area. When the person noticed Lilly hadn’t been snacking, they found her behind their water heater.

HSPPR reports that Lilly had wandered into the home and had gotten stuck behind the water heater so badly that Animal Law Enforcement (ALE) and a maintenance worker had to work to free her.

Lilly was taken back to HSPPR as a stray cat. HSPPR learned that Lilly was not happy about being kept inside, and wanted to be outside where she was thriving. After a conversation with the person feeding Lilly, HSPPR was told there were several cats in the area and that the person would be happy to welcome Lilly back into the neighborhood.

With her history of being an outside cat, Lilly entered into HSPPR’s Shelter-Neuter-Return program and once her surgery and vaccinations were complete she will be released into a familiar neighborhood and continue living outside.

HSPPR said some cats prefer to stay outside and in those cases, HSPPR with the help of a local cat colony manager, will humanely work to decrease cat overpopulation. The cat colony manager will provide food and water for the cats as well as monitor their health while HSPPR provides spay/neuter services to control the population and free vaccinations against rabies and other illnesses.