A frantic feline was saved by police officers in downtown Winnipeg during the morning rush hour on Wednesday.

Officers swept into action, closing the major intersection at Portage Avenue and Memorial Boulevard. Then they had to coax out the cat, which had sought safety under their cruiser.

One officer inched under the car on his belly and pulled out the trembling tabby, while his partner wrapped it in a blanket.

Semi-trailers and cars lined up waiting as drivers watched the action, along with staff in nearby stores and restaurants.

“They had fully stopped traffic in the middle of Portage Avenue to actually help a cat who was obviously scared out of its mind and had no idea what was going on. It was unbelievable,” said Samantha Franco, a server at Stella's Cafe and Bakery, who watched the whole thing from the window.

CBC News reporters Chris Glover and Katie Nicholson happened to be passing by the scene when it happened.

They tweeted photos and comments, which immediately caught fire on social media.

"Not crazy news but kind of a nice thing to see. And all the staff at Stella's kind of melted," Nicholson tweeted.

"Now that's great & we need more positive stories like this," tweeted Lesia Anna. "#WPG should start demanding more GooD news to be broadcast. Let's get #Wpg on the map as the MOST positive city anywhere."