Cat up a Tree?

Don’t panic. Cats are excellent climbers and will rarely fall out of a tree. Most cats might come down on their own, if given some time to calm down. In most cases cats are very tough and hardy animals. If the cat has spent the night in a tree it should be fine. Some cats may come down during the night after things have quieted down and when it begins to feel confident again. 

NOT EVERY CAT WHO CLIMBS A TREE KNOWS HOW OR IS ABLE TO GET DOWN AGAIN!!! In particular, kittens usually don't have the experience or courage to climb down and will often wait until they're too weak to hold on any longer (& therefore fall out of the tree) rather than attempting to make the descent themselves. Even adults can get themselves stuck in positions & at heights that they don't feel comfortable descending from. Add to that the fact that animals (any animal, including humans) get dehydrated, starved, & stressed VERY quickly - and in doing so, lose both their wits & their strength. The faster the cat gets help the better. Hopefully one of the suggestions below will work for your particular cat situation!! 

Are you concerned about a cat stuck up a tree? The Oregon Humane Society’s Technical Animal Rescue team routinely receives calls to aid cats stuck in trees. Cats often come down from the tree by themselves, but sometimes may climb too high and find themselves in a precarious situation. If you are concerned about a cat stuck up a tree, you should first attempt to find the owner of the cat, as the cat may respond best to its owner. Do not try to rescue the cat yourself, as scared cats will bite and scratch.

Instead, follow these steps to encourage a cat to come down:

• Call to the cat

• Shake dry cat food into a bowl

• Leave an open can of wet cat food near the tree or better yet some freshly cooked bacon.

• Lean a ladder against the tree at a safe angle; some cats may use the ladder to aid in

coming down

• Be sure to keep dogs away from the area near the tree

When is it time to call for help?

• If the cat has an urgent medical condition requiring immediate treatment

• If the cat has been up in the tree more than 4 days

• If the cat has become too weak to climb down on his own

If the cat is a house cat, you can also try placing items with familiar scents at the base of the tree (litter pan, favorite blanket, etc.)

FAQ

Why do some cats get stuck and refuse to come down, all the while crying for help?

Here are some possible reasons: Cats can go into a state of shock, and much like a human can be overcome with fear of falling and simply not be able to think clearly. A cat can be so filled with fright that it doesn’t realize it’s capable of climbing down on its own. Also the curved claws of a cat work well for climbing up a tree trunk, but to climb down, the cat has to climb backwards down the trunk. This is not so easy for some cats to do naturally.

Who do you call?

A cat, which is stuck in a tree, should be rescued by someone with both climbing experience and the proper climbing equipment. Remember, your cat would not want you to injure yourself or to become a second stuck victim. If you’ve given your cat what seems to be enough time to come down on its own, but the cat seems unlikely to climb down the tree, then a professional should be called.

How do I find a professional to rescue my cat?

You can try calling a professional tree service to hire a tree climber. Check in your local yellow pages for companies in your area. If the tree is located near power lines you may also try calling the power company to see if they can be of assistance.

Information to provide when calling:

Address and specific location of the tree

Can you see the cat or are there branches blocking direct view?

Are there dogs in the yard?

How many days do you know the cat has been up the tree?

Are you the owner?

Are there power lines going through the tree?

Is the tree on your property?

How high up is the cat?

What kind of tree is it?

Is the tree climbable?

How high is the lowest branch?

Can a ladder reach the lowest branch?

What about the fire department?

Everyone pictures a friendly fireman using the red fire engine and a long ladder to rescue a stuck cat out of a tree. The reality is that most fire departments will not rescue cats out of trees. This is mainly for two reasons. The first is because they have to be ready to respond to any human emergencies. They don’t want to be in the middle of a cat rescue when an emergency call comes in. The second reason is a fire engine with its long ladder truck may not be able to reach the tree a cat may be stuck in. With that said, some fire departments still do cat rescues occasionally. If you live in a small town your chances might be better that they will be able to come and help you.

Cat on an electrical pole

Electrical poles are dangerous to climb. It is illegal for anyone that is not authorized by the electric company to climb a utility pole. Try calling the utility company for assistance.

Possible ideas to try to rescue a cat up a tree:

Carrier Method:

1.     Attach a weight to the end of a strong lightweight rope (for instance a nylon rope) and throw it over the branch the cat is sitting on, or a nearby branch. Be careful not to hit the cat.

2.     Attach the cat's cat carrier to the other end of the rope. Be sure the side with the opening tilts a little up, and that the line is securely fastened. You can also put some favorite food with a strong smell inside the carrier.

3.     Pull the carrier up to the branch, and wait for the cat to go inside. Be patient.

4.     If, after several hours, it does not go into the carrier, and the cat is low enough in the tree, you can climb up and coax or put it inside of the carrier. (See Warning below!!!!)

5.     Put something soft on the ground below the carrier, just to be sure. Then gently lower the carrier to the ground.

6.     Before lowering, have volunteers at the base of the tree ready with a large blanket to use as a safety net in case the cat falls or gets scared and jumps, as you lower the carrier.

Laundry Basket Method

Take a laundry basket and a length of rope. Tie a small weight to one end of the rope and swing it up AWAY from where the cat is perched, but close enough she can reach it.  Once you have snagged the rope around the branch and lowered it down, put some bedding and food in the laundry basket. Tie the rope to the basket and pull it up so it rests quite close to her. Then tie off the end.  When she goes to get in the basket, gently lower her down until someone can snag her.   Before lowering, have volunteers at the base of the tree ready with a large blanket to use as a safety net in case the cat falls or gets scared and jumps, as you lower the carrier.

Bird Attraction Method

Sprinkle a lot of birdseed on the ground under the tree. Cover the area with it. I am not talking a small amount. You want to carpet the ground below with birdseed. I used this trick, when a feral cat was high in one of our trees. We left and watched out the window, and ten minutes later the birds were feasting, and here comes the cat creeping down the tree! The cat’s prey response is pretty powerful

Laser Pointer Method:

1.     Obtain a laser pointer.

2.     Aim the laser pointer to a spot where the cat can see it.

3.     Move the point of light down the tree trunk.

4.     With any luck, if the cat is calm, he will follow.

Food Method

Buy a couple cans of canned dog food (loaf type) and some dry dog food . Get a paint scraper, or some sort of spatula to spread the food with. Fetch a ladder (see Warning below) and crawl up the tree as high as you can go safely. Take the canned dog food spread it on the bark of the tree. Run it in a line all the way down to the ground if possible. Sprinkle the ground below with a large quantity of dry dog food. Why dog food? Dog food has a stronger odor than cat food does. Your cat is going to be overwhelmed with outdoor scents.  You will need to overpower those scents with something tasty, to bring her back down to safety.

Truck Method

If the cat isn’t up in the tree very high, get help. Find a neighbor or a friend with a flat-bed pickup truck. Have him back his truck up to the tree. Put a ladder in the bed of the pick-up truck. Have someone brace the ladder. (See Warning below) Then climb up and fetch your cat. 

Warning: Do not attempt to climb up the tree without assistance and proper knowledge of climbing safety!

If you do attempt a rescue, wear heavy gloves with a good gripping surface and a heavy coat to protect yourself from the cat if he panics. You may also want protection for your head (a hat and possibly goggles are suggested). Although you may not be able to get the cat inside of it, you can carry a sack of some type to place the cat in (even a pillowcase could be used but a thicker sack would be best). A carrier would be too awkward for you to climb with. Grab the cat by the scruff of the neck and bring her out to your side, keeping her tightly scruffed- don’t drop her! And carefully start back down the ladder. Plan on her fighting and squirming.  She is going to be stressed and scared. She will use her weapons arsenal (teeth and claws) to try and free herself. Keeping her clutched tightly to your chest isn’t an option unless you are wearing a Kevlar vest!  As with the carrier rescue from above, have volunteers at the base of the tree ready with a large blanket to use as a safety net in case the kitty jumps or falls. Also, make sure the ground underneath where the cat will land is soft enough that if she jumps, she won’t get hurt. Drag out an old mattress, pile up leaves, bring out your dirty clothes and throw them on the ground. Hey, they are dirty anyway. 

With any luck, kitty will be safely back on the ground in no time. Remember, when all else fails, try a professional tree climber!!!

Above info gathered from wikihow.com, felinexpress.com, Oregon Humane Society website and catinatreerescue.com