Help! My daughter's cat is stuck in a tree!

[Longhorn]

It's almost her first time out of the house and she's about 40 feet up. She's just sitting up there meowing loudly.

My daughter and her husband have gone to get an extension ladder but isn't it better to just wait for the cat to come down? I'm afraid my son-in-law will get hurt trying to climb up after her.

[Longhorn]

1. All you cat owners and no advice? Please? nt

[Taverner]

2. Ever see a set of cat bones in a tree?

Nope? Me neither...

Seriously, cats usually find their way down. Of course you could call the fire department, they still do that (surprisingly)

I saw them here a few weeks back getting a kitten out of an oak tree.

[Longhorn]

4. That was my first reaction

but if a cat stayed up there so long that she got weak and dehydrated, she could fall out and no, there wouldn't be a skeleton in the tree but there wouldn't be a happy ending either. This kitty is about 40 feet up and way out on the tiny, swaying branches and is apparently very scared.

My daughter has a friend who is a firefighter. She's going to call and ask his advice. Thanks!

[Maraya1969]

31. I'm glad you said that. I completely freaked when my neighbor ran over

telling me my young cat at the time was up a telephone pole. I was so terrified and had no clue what to do and he was up really high.

Anyway he just suddenly jumped and ran into the house and the vet told my horrified self that he was probably fine.... as it turns out he was.


Someone said the same thing to me too. "How many dead cats have you seen at the bottom of a tree?"

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

3. Have they tried opening a cat of cat food or tuna?

I've heard that works. Best of luck!

[Longhorn]

5. Thanks! I suggested they try that

but my daughter thinks she's too afraid to be very interested in food right now. But they will try. I'm not there -- my husband is -- but I made them promise me that they won't try anything too risky to get her down.

It got over 90 here yesterday so they opened their windows. One of the screens has a small hole chewed in it by another daughter's dog and two of the four kitties managed to enlarge the hole and escape. When my son-in-law tried to catch Saki, she ran up the tree. They are normally inside cats.

[stuntcat]

6. oh nooo :(

I don't have any advice but I have vibes to give, I hope they get her down soon!

[Longhorn]

7. Thanks!

They're working on it now. I'll get a phone update soon, I hope.

[DS1]

8. try googling the last part of your title

[Longhorn]

9. I did. Thanks!

There are good and bad stories, it appears. Someone suggested raising a laundry basket with food in it and see if the cat jumps in. If she was on a thicker branch, I'd be more optimistic that she'd come down on her own.

[Flaxbee]

10. If I could send my Ivan cat over, I would!

he is such a cool cat - enormous tuxedo boycat - when our MommaKitty brought us her litter and they started to explore (before I turned them into housecats), they'd often get stranded in one particular tree and Ivan would go up the tree to within about 2-3 feet of where the kitten was, and meow until they felt safe getting to his level, then he'd back down a bit and they'd follow, etc., until I could reach them. Warmed my heart every time he did it.

Here's hoping your daughter's cat gets down soon!

[Longhorn]

11. That's amazing!

In my daughter's case, if she tried that with the other three, she'd have four cats stuck in the tree!

I'll let y'all know how it turns out. Thanks!

[TZ]

12. Ivan the great!

That is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard.
Longhorn, I hope they get your daughter's cat down. Is anyone trying catnip? If the cat likes it, it might allow her to relax enough to be rescued...

[Longhorn]

13. That's a good idea!

I'll find out. Thanks!

[matcom]

14. here is a tip for AFTER you get her down

keep her IN THE DAMNED HOUSE

that.is.all.

[Longhorn]

15. See post #5.

that.is.all

[sasquatch]

16. Well who's going to keep the little birdie population regulated

[Longhorn]

17. These kitties are more known for

keeping the grasshopper population under control if one happens to venture into the house.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. I have indoor kittehs. It has been a verrry long time since I dealt with a cat in a tree. *I was a

kid and could still climb up after them.*

I vote for getting a can of food and shaking a box of kibble. I also vote for keeping a group of people with a bed sheet pulled out under her perch, just in case.

[Longhorn]

21. I thought of the people-with-sheet idea, too!

Fortunately, it didn't come to that!

[Enrique]

19. try reverse psychology

cats can be contrary.

[Longhorn]

23. This kitty must have been a little more predictable.

[Longhorn]

20. UPDATE:

The cat is out of the tree and safe. My son-in-law climbed a ladder and got as close as he could to the cat and extended a scratching post to her. She apparently felt it was sturdy enough to climb onto and he slowly drew her to him and carried her down without a scratch. The window will remain closed until the screen is replaced!

Thanks for your advice and support!

[GreenPartyVoter]

22. Phew! :^D

[suninvited]

24. I just love a happy ending !!

[TZ]

25. Yay for safe kitteh!

The scratching post was a brilliant idea!

[Longhorn]

28. I think so, too!

I'll have to find out if it was my brilliant daughter, son-in-law, or husband who came up with the idea!

[Longhorn]

29. It was my brilliant husband!

[Arugula Latte]

32. Oh, thank goodness!

WHEW! I am so glad I came to this post late in the game, because I HATE thinking about that poor scared kitty up there.

Yay for S.I.L!

[leeroysphitz]

26. You'll feel better about the whole thing if you can just come to understand that...

A. Your daughter has no cat.
B. You have no tree.

[Longhorn]

27. Believe me, with some of the things going on in my life right now

I've used that approach!

[Lorien]

30. Have you ever seen a dead cat in a tree?

They pretty much always figure out how to get down again. Usually a can of food is incentive enough.

[applegrove]

33. The cat will likely come down on her own. Does she know how to climb down

trees? Is this an outdoor cat? If so - no worries. She'll come down when she feels like it.

[Longhorn]

34. No, she's strictly an indoor cat that escaped

but my husband got her down (see update above.)