Woman hospitalised after diving down drain to rescue cat in NSW

A NSW woman ended up in hospital after she dived into a drain to rescue a friend's cat.

Marni Zavaleta's cat, Pushkar, was retrieved by NSW Fire and Rescue this afternoon after it fell down a drain four days ago.

Pushkar was unable to be rescued by crews so two women took matters into their own hands in the Blue Mountains yesterday.

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Zavaleta's friend Dianne Newnan volunteered to dive into the drain as she had cave diving experience but things didn't go to plan in Blaxland yesterday.

"He was distressed and it was distressing to listen to and you (Dianne) just wanted to save my cat," Zavaleta said.

Newnan lowered herself into the drain with an abseiling rope but there was a huge hole in the drain.

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"I fell down the two-metre ledge and smashed my head," Newnan said.

She managed to get sight of an uninjured Pushkar but the cat was just out of reach.

"He just sat there and looked at me," Newnan said.

"I have been in much tighter, I have been in spaces where I couldn't move my hips."

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Emergency services came to Newnan's rescue but she managed to climb out and went to hospital overnight to be treated for the cuts on her head.

"You are wonderful, I don't know anyone who would do this," Zavaleta said to her friend.

Pushkar is now safe and is receiving plenty of cuddles.

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