‘Sewer Kitty’ discovered under downtown Asheville storm drain

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Two downtown Asheville workers were taken aback when they heard meowing coming from a nearby sewer grate. Upon closer inspection, the duo discovered a small, grey cat beneath a Battery Park Avenue storm drain.

UPDATE: 4:14 p.m., Jan. 15, 2026

According to City of Asheville Communication Specialist Kim Miller, “Sewer Kitty,” whose real name is Gandalf, was rescued from the grate.

“Our animal control officers did respond to a call from the Asheville Police Department (APD) and were able to release the cat,” Miller said in a statement. “Two community members on scene told the officers the cat’s name is ‘Gandalf.’ Officers were able to identify the owner and the two have now been reunited.”

UPDATE: 10:37 a.m., Jan. 15, 2026

Rick Rice, Asheville Police Department Public Information Officer, said officers at the scene reported that the cat was named ‘Gandolf’ [sic].

”Officers contacted Animal Services for assistance,” Rice said.

828newsNOW has reached out to Asheville Animal Services for more information.

PREVIOUSLY: 10:11 p.m., Jan. 14, 2026

“Well, me and my boss were, you know, out in the alley, out behind Hayward Park Hotel, having a smoke, just chopping it up, having a conversation,” said Josh Miley, a chocolatier at The Chocolate Fetish. “Then we hear this meow, and we instantly stop talking and we’re, like, scanning the area for the cat, and we hear it again, and we go over to the sewer gate and we see this little kitty down there, man.”

According to Miley, he and his coworker debated retrieving the cat themselves, but were concerned about the possibility of being scratched by contaminated claws. The chocolatier said that he noticed the “Sewer Kitty” had a collar on.

“You don’t want to get scratched by a cat that’s in the sewer. They have dirty paws,” Miley said.

Miley said that Sewer Kitty was beginning to attract attention from other passersby, who eventually called over officers from the Asheville Police Department.

“About two minutes after we discovered the cat, a couple of police officers approached us, and they responded, called animal control,” Miley said.

Miley had faith that Sewer Kitty was safely retrieved from the grate.