Fishermen return with whale of a tale and two lucky ginger kittens

Two fishermen in Alabama were left dumbfounded after two small, stray kittens swam fifty metres across a river and boarded their boat on Saturday.

Jason Frost and friend Brandon Key were fishing on Black Warrior River on the weekend when they rescued the pair of ginger tabby kittens, Time reports.

Mr Frost of Hueytown, Alabama says he uploaded the video to his Facebook page as he figured this was one fishing tale that no one was ever going to believe.

The video has now had almost one million views.

"This puts a new spin on the term catfishing," Mr Frost wrote on Facebook.

The men told local media they heard a splash in the distance, and only realised it was a swimming kitten when they heard it miaowing.

"You are not going to believe what is swimming towards our boat," he says, looking into the camera.

The camera then swings around to reveal the wake of a small animal frantically paddling across the river.

"Never in my life have I seen anything like that," he says.

After hauling the kitten to safety, the incredulous pair then watch as another kitten leaps from the bank into the river and begins its swim for the safety of the boat.

"Well there's a first time for everything, isn't there?" Mr Frost says.

He believes that both kittens were probably dumped in the wildnerness and left to fend for themselves.

The kittens are now adopted out to a family with two little girls.

He says he and his friend have been inundated with messages of thanks since he posted the video online.