This is the 6018th most frequent Polish word.
żywcem
"Żywcem" means "alive" or "alive and intact."
In this sentence, "żywcem" emphasizes the fact that the kitten was saved alive, i.e., unharmed and still alive despite the dangerous situation.
Strażacy uratowali kociaka z pożaru, wyciągając go żywcem.
Firefighters rescued the kitten from the fire, pulling it out alive.
Here, "żywcem" is used to describe the state in which the snails are consumed, meaning they are alive at the time of being eaten.
Są ślimaki, które zjada się żywcem, co bywa kontrowersyjne.
There are snails that are eaten alive, which is controversial.
In this context, "żywcem" highlights that the settler was caught in a living state and not harmed fatally during the capture.