Cat up a tree...
Okay this happened yesterday, but I had to share this with someone. DH and I have two cats, a big black long named Appollyon and a short haired gray tiger strip named Squirts. Both our cats are allowed outside (after Appollyon popped the screen out of our bedroom window and jumped two stories down.) Okay, they go in and out. No big deal.
Early yesterday morning it was pouring rain with lighting and thunder. My cats, especially Appollyon, hates thunder. When I got up, I went down stairs, noticed Squirts, but Appollyon, wasn't around. I figured he was hiding in our basement, like he usually does during a loud storm. My husband goes to work and I do a few errors with my friend Chrissy. Its about 2-2:20ish, when we get back. I went to go check some emails, when Chrissy runs up my room, telling me she found Appollyon. My first thought, was OMG, he was hit by a car. She told me no, hes up a tree. My first reaction was, give him time he'll come back down. But she insisted I go out and look. I go out and there my big beautiful cat is up 35 feet up a thin tree, crying.
We tried to get him down by calling him gently and even opening a cat of wet food (which I've seen this cat jump over a fire pit for) but he wouldn't budge. This tree is at the side edge of our yard on small hill up against a fence.
Trying to figure out what to do, I drove to my local fire house just a block away. I told them I have a cat 35 feet in a tree, higher up than my house and he's stuck. They told me they couldn't do anything. I understood this. This is not TV, however could they please direct me who I should contact for this. I was told to call the ASPCA. So I went home an called them. The woman on the phone told me to just leave food for him, but I told her that is not the case (35 feet up!!!) he is not coming down on his own. She told me to contact a tree removal service. Okay, no big deal. I don't mind paying for this. Just someone help. So I called four of them. Three didn't answer or return my call. One did answer and said they would call me back to get directions, which they NEVER did!!!!![]()
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So I call a friend, Tyler to come. A 23 yr old guy we know who is very skinny and in shape. He looks up the tree and was just shocked. He tried to climb up the tree, but wasn't able too without a 20ft latter at least! My husband came home around 6:30pm, (DH is very very close with the cat, we've had him for five yrs!) with rope, an ax, a saw, the whole nine yards. Two other friends show up trying to help us get our cat down, none of us were having any luck. Finally at 9:30pm our friend Lance who does construction, borrowed his bosses 20ft latter and came to our house after working a 16 hr day.
The men carried the latter to the back yard, positioning it on the hill side, between the tree and another tree. After that the Tyler climbed up the latter and at the end he still had another 15 feet to climb up. He didn't feel the branched up there were safe enough and got back down. My poor cat is still crying and its ripping DH and I apart. Tyler had to go down, so our friend Matt tries. He bought a back pack with up with a rope, to bring Appollyon down safely. He climbs up the 15 feet but my cat won't let go. It was almost comical. I swear if this was a movie, it would have been a great scene! He finally gets the cat in one arm and is trying like crazy to get the cat in the bag. The cat won't release Matts skin with his claws.
So Matt climbs down to the latter, where the guy who brought the latter met with him and took Appollyon from him so he could climb down safely. Short ending (because I know this really long, sorry!) Appollyon and Matt came down at 10:30pm unharmed. When we got our cat back in the house, he went right to his food dish and the basement for sleep! Yeah yesterday was a fun day. Sorry I had to share this with someone! I wish I had the whole thing on video. It was really daring and funny at times. But what upset DH and I so much was that there was no official to help us! I understand this shouldn't be the fire departments job. They have a busy and dangerous job. I hold nothing against them! That is all well and find, but who do we call when something like this happens? Not only for the sake of my cat, but Tyler, Matt, Lance and DH could have been seriously hurt! I'm just grateful NO ONE was hurt. BTW Appollyon is doing fine now. Thanks girls, I just needed to share.
Early yesterday morning it was pouring rain with lighting and thunder. My cats, especially Appollyon, hates thunder. When I got up, I went down stairs, noticed Squirts, but Appollyon, wasn't around. I figured he was hiding in our basement, like he usually does during a loud storm. My husband goes to work and I do a few errors with my friend Chrissy. Its about 2-2:20ish, when we get back. I went to go check some emails, when Chrissy runs up my room, telling me she found Appollyon. My first thought, was OMG, he was hit by a car. She told me no, hes up a tree. My first reaction was, give him time he'll come back down. But she insisted I go out and look. I go out and there my big beautiful cat is up 35 feet up a thin tree, crying.
We tried to get him down by calling him gently and even opening a cat of wet food (which I've seen this cat jump over a fire pit for) but he wouldn't budge. This tree is at the side edge of our yard on small hill up against a fence.
Trying to figure out what to do, I drove to my local fire house just a block away. I told them I have a cat 35 feet in a tree, higher up than my house and he's stuck. They told me they couldn't do anything. I understood this. This is not TV, however could they please direct me who I should contact for this. I was told to call the ASPCA. So I went home an called them. The woman on the phone told me to just leave food for him, but I told her that is not the case (35 feet up!!!) he is not coming down on his own. She told me to contact a tree removal service. Okay, no big deal. I don't mind paying for this. Just someone help. So I called four of them. Three didn't answer or return my call. One did answer and said they would call me back to get directions, which they NEVER did!!!!
So I call a friend, Tyler to come. A 23 yr old guy we know who is very skinny and in shape. He looks up the tree and was just shocked. He tried to climb up the tree, but wasn't able too without a 20ft latter at least! My husband came home around 6:30pm, (DH is very very close with the cat, we've had him for five yrs!) with rope, an ax, a saw, the whole nine yards. Two other friends show up trying to help us get our cat down, none of us were having any luck. Finally at 9:30pm our friend Lance who does construction, borrowed his bosses 20ft latter and came to our house after working a 16 hr day.
The men carried the latter to the back yard, positioning it on the hill side, between the tree and another tree. After that the Tyler climbed up the latter and at the end he still had another 15 feet to climb up. He didn't feel the branched up there were safe enough and got back down. My poor cat is still crying and its ripping DH and I apart. Tyler had to go down, so our friend Matt tries. He bought a back pack with up with a rope, to bring Appollyon down safely. He climbs up the 15 feet but my cat won't let go. It was almost comical. I swear if this was a movie, it would have been a great scene! He finally gets the cat in one arm and is trying like crazy to get the cat in the bag. The cat won't release Matts skin with his claws.
So Matt climbs down to the latter, where the guy who brought the latter met with him and took Appollyon from him so he could climb down safely. Short ending (because I know this really long, sorry!) Appollyon and Matt came down at 10:30pm unharmed. When we got our cat back in the house, he went right to his food dish and the basement for sleep! Yeah yesterday was a fun day. Sorry I had to share this with someone! I wish I had the whole thing on video. It was really daring and funny at times. But what upset DH and I so much was that there was no official to help us! I understand this shouldn't be the fire departments job. They have a busy and dangerous job. I hold nothing against them! That is all well and find, but who do we call when something like this happens? Not only for the sake of my cat, but Tyler, Matt, Lance and DH could have been seriously hurt! I'm just grateful NO ONE was hurt. BTW Appollyon is doing fine now. Thanks girls, I just needed to share.
