Jerry's Treetop Ordeal
Some people insist that cats don't need to be rescued when they climb trees. They have been told or callously insist that all cats can get themselves down without incident if they feel like it. I have plenty of evidence that that is not always true. I took the time to write up Jerry's rescue story below because it highlights the often overlooked sufferers when a cat is stuck in a tree - the caring humans who feel powerless to help. They spend hours making calls for help, searching the web for ideas, and deflecting insensitive comments from people who refuse to acknowledge or understand their distress. Quite often the rescues I perform are just as much for the humans as for the felines - and that is fine with me!
Jerry is an almost 1 year old kitten. He and his brother were orphaned as tiny kittens when their mother was hit by a car. They were found together with their deceased mother at the side of the road. Thankfully the Chandler family was there to help and they adopted both kittens and nursed them to health.
Jerry had never been outside until yesterday at noon when a gust of wind grabbed the screen door when one of his humans came inside. Jerry saw his chance at "freedom" and ran outside. Jeff, the dad, tried to get Jerry back inside but instead Jerry ran to a tree and climbed 40 feet up and rested on a dead stub. Jeff called 911 for help and was fortunate that Officer Franklin was called to the scene. Officer Franklin is a big guy with a big heart and he has referred other cat owners to me in the past.
I usually encourage people to wait 24 hours before calling in a rescue, but it was clear that Jerry's situation required a different approach. Since Jerry had never been outside, the family was worried that it he fell or made his own way down, he would not find his way back home. To make matters worse the low temperature that night was going to fall to near freezing. Needless to say after talking with Jeff I told him I would be there that eve
