Texas police rescue Jar Jar, a cat with a jar stuck on his head

Cats are inquisitive animals, and often seem to be able to get out of all sorts of tricky situations.

But, sometimes, cats need a bit of a helping hand from humans, with features like our opposable thumbs coming in useful. One such cat, who’s been named Jar Jar, had to be rescued by police after they had a plastic jar stuck on their head – and was given some of the best cat food for their trouble.

Palmhurst Police Department, in the south of Texas, released video footage of themselves saving Jar Jar last week after they were alerted to the cat’s plight by a concerned passerby who realized they wouldn’t be able to drink any water in the scorching heat.

In the video, officers approach the cat, who seems frightened and unwilling to get too close to humans, as they discuss how to safely get the cat and remove the jar. An officer comes up behind the cat and places a coat on them to allow them to pick the cat up with less risk of being injured – another officer tries to remove the jar, but the cat won’t keep their head still long enough for it to come off.

They’re able to put the cat down and hold them while they take the jar off, and then inspect their face for injury. They took the cat to a local animal center to be checked over, but not before letting them have a lick of some food from a can.

The police shared the video on Facebook , and wrote, “Earlier today, our Comms Center received a report of a cat which had its head stuck in a cup as it wandered the street. We're unsure how long this poor feline had been suffering in this heat and unable to see but action need to be taken immediately.

“We're happy to report that "Jar Jar" was freed and was transported to PVAS [Palm Valley Animal Society] for medical evaluation!”

It’s not the first time in recent months that the police in Palmhurst have had to rescue a cat in need, either. In June, they shared on Facebook that they were alerted to a kitten who was trapped in a drainage ditch, with the City of Mission Fire Department lending a hand too.

They said, “We are happy to announce that the kitten is in good spirits and one of our officers gifted his new family with all the necessary supplies to thrive!”

We hope your cat never gets into any situation quite this tricky, but if you’d like to know how to keep your feline safe in the home, you might find these 32 ways to kitten proof your home useful!