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Post by lesley on May 17, 2018 18:18:27 GMT
UPDATE 18/5
For all of you concerned about the cat, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s down. It did not come down on its own. We phoned the SSPCA today, who said it was too high for them to get to it, and as it was a feral cat, we should let it come down on its own, or let “nature take its course". My neighbour had phoned the Cat Protection League, who were also unwilling to attempt a rescue. (And it was their idea that we should spray it with the garden hose). DS couldn’t bear just to leave it there, so he climbed as high as he could into the tree, and once again pushed it with a pole. While this might seem unkind, it was the only way to get it to move. It’s been warm here the past couple of days, and I was concerned about it getting dehydrated. And the pole had a rubber knob at the end, so it wasn’t sharp; he wasn’t poking at it.
Anyway, it finally made the move, landed on the grass below and stalked off without a backwards glance. DS in the other hand, is covered in scrapes and scratches from the tree!
OP
When Turriff came back from his walk yesterday, there was a cat sitting on our front path. He chased it into the back garden where it promptly climbed one of my trees. It’s now been there for about 28 hours, about 20-25 feet up. DS tried climbing up and gently pushing it with a pole, but all it did was hiss and cling on even more ferociously. Then he and my neighbour tried to convince it to move by spraying it with the garden hose. Still no luck, but at least it got a drink!
(This cat doesn’t belong to anyone. It was abandoned by its previous owners about four years ago, and refuses to let anyone near it. It’s pretty vicious to anyone who tries. My neighbour, who has four cats of her own, used to leave food out for it, but never saw if the cat actually ate it. She had to stop when foxes and badgers turned up at her back door instead!)
So cat Peas, what can I do to make it come down?
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Heathen
Full Member
Posts: 427
Feb 12, 2017 6:05:44 GMT
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Post by Heathen on May 17, 2018 18:29:59 GMT
Call a tree-trimming company. Just because the cat went up doesn't mean it will come down on its own. It might be too scared to try.
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Post by Sam on May 17, 2018 18:32:01 GMT
If you have a local fire station, you could see if they will come out, or the SPCA?
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Post by teacherlisa on May 17, 2018 18:43:04 GMT
In the area that I dispatch for, our fire department does not respond to cat in the tree/power pole etc calls. While I am sure somewhere sometime, a cat did not make it down from a pole/tree...they really do come down once they are hungry, or feel like it lol. Fire fighters are at risk (and so is the public on the roadways) every time they respond to a call and they could be somewhere they really don't need to be when a fire or medical call kicks out if they responded to all cat in tree calls.
That said, the policy of most fire departments is as follows-
- We will risk our lives a lot, in a highly calculated and controlled manner, to protect a savable human life;
- We will risk our lives a little, in a highly calculated and controlled manner, to protect savable property.
- We will not risk our lives at all to protect lives or property that is already lost
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Post by katlady on May 17, 2018 18:44:38 GMT
I hear that cats can’t really climb down backwards, so unless he can jump to get down, he may be stuck up there.
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Post by *sprout* on May 17, 2018 18:45:45 GMT
In the area that I dispatch for, our fire department does not respond to cat in the tree/power pole etc calls. While I am sure somewhere sometime, a cat did not make it down from a pole/tree...they really do come down once they are hungry, or feel like it lol. Fire fighters are at risk (and so is the public on the roadways) every time they respond to a call and they could be somewhere they really don't need to be when a fire or medical call kicks out if they responded to all cat in tree calls. That said, the policy of most fire departments is as follows- - We will risk our lives a lot, in a highly calculated and controlled manner, to protect a savable human life; - We will risk our lives a little, in a highly calculated and controlled manner, to protect savable property. - We will not risk our lives at all to protect lives or property that is already lost This!! |
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Post by mcscrapper on May 17, 2018 18:55:51 GMT
If you have a local fire station, you could see if they will come out, or the SPCA? PLEASE do not call the fire department for a cat. Please do not call them away from a legit call to save a cat. Have you ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree? The answer is no. They always come down on their own. SaveSave |
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Post by mcscrapper on May 17, 2018 18:58:01 GMT
In the area that I dispatch for, our fire department does not respond to cat in the tree/power pole etc calls. While I am sure somewhere sometime, a cat did not make it down from a pole/tree...they really do come down once they are hungry, or feel like it lol. Fire fighters are at risk (and so is the public on the roadways) every time they respond to a call and they could be somewhere they really don't need to be when a fire or medical call kicks out if they responded to all cat in tree calls. That said, the policy of most fire departments is as follows- - We will risk our lives a lot, in a highly calculated and controlled manner, to protect a savable human life; - We will risk our lives a little, in a highly calculated and controlled manner, to protect savable property. - We will not risk our lives at all to protect lives or property that is already lost 100000% agree!! My dh is a FF and they HATE getting dispatched for a cat in a tree. They always do seem to get dispatched right as they are sitting down to eat, too. SaveSave |
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Post by cmpeter on May 17, 2018 19:02:45 GMT
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Post by MichyM on May 17, 2018 19:04:29 GMT
I agree With calling a tree trimming company. There are some around here that will do this work gratis. And I would call them sooner rather than later. A cat can quickly become dehydrated which will cause a host of other problems. Good luck!
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Post by MichyM on May 17, 2018 19:06:25 GMT
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Post by MichyM on May 17, 2018 19:08:07 GMT
If you have a local fire station, you could see if they will come out, or the SPCA? PLEASE do not call the fire department for a cat. Please do not call them away from a legit call to save a cat. Have you ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree? The answer is no. They always come down on their own. SaveSaveAbsolutely untrue. www.rescuemycat.org/p/what-you-can-do-on-your-own.html?m=1 |
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Post by gailoh on May 17, 2018 19:34:51 GMT
please let us know when kitty is down...hope safe
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 21:54:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2018 19:38:10 GMT
If you have a local fire station, you could see if they will come out, or the SPCA? PLEASE do not call the fire department for a cat. Please do not call them away from a legit call to save a cat. Have you ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree? The answer is no. They always come down on their own. SaveSaveThis Now we have found dead parrots, and a cockatoo. They get to scared and have know clue how to find food or water. |
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Post by littlemama on May 17, 2018 19:53:00 GMT
I would probably wait it out for a day or two and then I would call the fire department non-emergency line.
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Post by genny on May 17, 2018 19:59:29 GMT
Our cat got stuck in a tree and stayed there for 2 days, we kept thinking he'd come down but it didn't happen. He was really high too…DH got his hunting tree climber out and shimmied up that tree and got OJ's fat ass down lol. It was pretty funny when it was all said and done!
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Post by librarylady on May 17, 2018 21:14:15 GMT
I hear that cats can’t really climb down backwards, so unless he can jump to get down, he may be stuck up there. Our cat will back down until he reaches a point where he can safely jump down. He does not turn so that he is going down head first--he is backing down. |
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Post by MichyM on May 18, 2018 16:13:53 GMT
lesley this has been on my mind. Any updates?
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Post by lbp on May 18, 2018 16:22:05 GMT
Yes they will come down eventually. How many cat carcasses do you see in trees?
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garcia5050
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,815 
Location: So. Calif.
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Post by garcia5050 on May 18, 2018 16:37:44 GMT
Hmmm. This theory of cat carcasses in a tree. . . If a cat becomes dehydrated and then lethargic, won’t it fall?
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Post by pjaye on May 18, 2018 16:42:32 GMT
Yes they will come down eventually. How many cat carcasses do you see in trees? That's just stupid and not a valid point. A once dead it will fall out of the tree. I've never seen a dead possum in a tree...but I've seen plenty on the ground. That's like saying "people never drown at the beach...how many dead bodies do you see floating in the water"? If my dog chased the cat up there, then I would feel responsible about making sure it got down safely, especially after that long. I do find it distressing to read that you are prodding it and spraying it with a hose - how make a living creature even more terrified than it already is.. Cats do have a problem getting out of trees, their claws and pads on their feet make it almost impossible to go down backwards, the have to go down head first. At least try putting up a ladder close to the tree, or a long plank of wood (secured) so it can try to get down on it's own...and please stop traumatising it even more. |
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Post by MichyM on May 18, 2018 16:46:58 GMT
Yes they will come down eventually. How many cat carcasses do you see in trees? That's just stupid and not a valid point. A once dead it will fall out of the tree. I've never seen a dead possum in a tree...but I've seen plenty on the ground. That's like saying "people never drown at the beach...how many dead bodies do you see floating in the water"? If my dog chased the cat up there, then I would feel responsible about making sure it got down safely, especially after that long. I do find it distressing to read that you are prodding it and spraying it with a hose - how make a living creature even more terrified than it already is.. Cats do have a problem getting out of trees, their claws and pads on their feet make it almost impossible to go down backwards, the have to go down head first. At least try putting up a ladder close to the tree, or a long plank of wood (secured) so it can try to get down on it's own...and please stop traumatising it even more. 1000% behind this, and why it's been in my mind. If the cat could get down on its own, it would have. Trust me. It's not "being a cat." The whole shooting it with the hose and poking it made me feel pretty upset. I wish some on this thread would take take a second to read the links I posted. And I really, truly hope that the cat is ok. |
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Post by Tammiem2pnc1 on May 18, 2018 17:34:05 GMT
I guess it depends on the area. My husband is a FF and they will definitely go and rescue a cat out of the tree and they don't mind doing it. But I can see in a bigger department that is quite busy where this could be a problem.
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Post by lbp on May 18, 2018 18:43:45 GMT
Yes they will come down eventually. How many cat carcasses do you see in trees? That's just stupid and not a valid point. A once dead it will fall out of the tree. I've never seen a dead possum in a tree...but I've seen plenty on the ground. That's like saying "people never drown at the beach...how many dead bodies do you see floating in the water"? If my dog chased the cat up there, then I would feel responsible about making sure it got down safely, especially after that long. I do find it distressing to read that you are prodding it and spraying it with a hose - how make a living creature even more terrified than it already is.. Cats do have a problem getting out of trees, their claws and pads on their feet make it almost impossible to go down backwards, the have to go down head first. At least try putting up a ladder close to the tree, or a long plank of wood (secured) so it can try to get down on it's own...and please stop traumatising it even more. Well bless your heart! Aren't you just precious. Glad to know I am stupid. I will tell our fire department who told me that all cats will come down out of a tree and just leave it alone. And it did. |
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Post by lesley on May 18, 2018 19:00:01 GMT
Update in OP.
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Post by femalebusiness on May 18, 2018 19:12:50 GMT
Success! 👏 👏 👏 Your hubby is a hero.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 21:54:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2018 19:15:29 GMT
Hooray for your DS.
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Post by anniefb on May 18, 2018 19:30:41 GMT
Glad your DS was able to encourage it down!
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Post by gailoh on May 18, 2018 19:45:25 GMT
thank you for the update and glad kitty is down...
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Post by MichyM on May 18, 2018 19:49:29 GMT
Yay, thanks so much for the update, and I hope your son heals quickly!
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