Two jail employees were taking their usual lunchtime walk around the grounds of Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset Aug. 2. “And we heard this little noise coming from the woods,” Diane Hammond said.

Something was crying. A black and white kitten came out to meet them. Then, like a dog, it kept running ahead of them, then waiting for them to catch up.

The youngster was well-groomed and at ease with people, so Hammond figured it most likely belonged to someone. They brought it inside to an office area and the staff went into action.

Jail Administrator Mark Westrum canvassed the neighborhood, but no one claimed the kitten as theirs. Hammond quickly made flyers featuring pictures of the cat in a chair and on the office floor. She dropped several off at Ames Supply, where they were posted at the checkouts.

The Wiscasset woman planned to take flyers around to other nearby businesses, as well.

The kitten couldn't stay at the jail overnight, because no one would be in the office. So employee Kyle Canada volunteered to take it home with him to Edgecomb. He also took it to a veterinarian to see if it had an implanted microchip for identification. None was found. But he learned the kitten was female and probably about 12 weeks old.

Canada, his wife and children have two cats “the exact same color” as the kitten, he said. The children were told she could be someone else's and that, if the person was found, the kitten would be returned to the owner. If no one comes forward, the kitten will become a permanent member of the family, Canada said.