Cat is stuck 70ft up tree. Any idea how to get him down?

[barmybunting]

My cat has been missing all day. We eventually found him about 50ft up a tree in the woods nearby. He wouldn't move and we couldn't reach him so the fire service came out (we live on a military base so it's the local military fire service rather than civilian who don't respond re cats I don't think). They got up to him and he then went another 20ft up. They've had to leave with their ladder as they can't do anything. Any ideas how to get him down? He won't budge and has been up there for about 10 hours now.

[curlew]

I'm sorry- I have never heard of a cat not being able to get itself down before

Fingers crossed for barmybuntingcat......

[CuntyBunty]

I hope you get your daft cat back down ok barmy. Give him a good bollocking when you get him down.

[Turvytopsy]

I was told by a US fireman that the safest way to get a cat down is to attach a rope to a laundry basket. Throw the rope over a branch as close to the cat as you can then pull the laundry basket up to the branch. The basket should contain a familiar smelling blanket or something and some strong smelling food such as tuna.
He said that sometimes it takes a little while for the cat to venture in but he had never failed with this method.
Hth

[barmybunting]

curlew I would agree with you in many ways, it does just sound like absolute madness. But he just can't seem to get down and I can't bring myself to let him stay there overnight again. We only moved house about a month ago, and where we lived there was no trees to be seen. I know that sounds daft, but there was honestly no trees because it was a military base and we lived by the airfield so he probably doesn't have a clue how to actually get down as he hasn't climbed many trees. Anyway, I just want my mad cat back... I think he fits with the 'barmy' element of the name!

[Turvytopsy]

Obviously when the cat is in the basket you lower it down gently.

[curlew]

No- I wasn't suggesting you were sounding mad- I was responding to somebody knowledgable downthread who said that actually, cats don't always come down by themselves- I thought they did. I do hope you get yours back soon........

[Mogz]

Hope he is down soon OP, it's hard for them to get back down because of their backwards curving claws, they have no way of gripping well for such a distance.

[barmybunting]

Got him!! The tree surgeon climbed up and tucked him into his jacket and climbed down with him as he refused to go in the bag they were trying to use to lower him down. I now have a very wet, grumbly, clingy cat glued to me! Thank goodness for tree surgeons!! Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I don't think he'll be out for a while!

curlew sorry for confusion, I didn't take it that you thought I sounded mad, I was agreeing that it sounded a bit batty as I honestly thought he would manage himself too.

[curlew]

Yay for barmycat!


And for much barmier-and braver- tree surgeon.

[HighBrows]

Delighted you got him down. I've a ginger cat that likes to trap himself on roofs. It's like he loses his confidence and has to be rescued. He does it about 3 times per year. The last time we left him for two days, he still couldn't or wouldn't come down. So up my brother went.

Sometimes they just won't or can't come down.

[cozietoesie]

Oh well done that tree surgeon.

I've always left my cats to get down trees themselves - but they've only been up 15 or 20 ft which is a whole different ball game. I suspect that 70 ft up and they would just freeze.

Is he being a homeboy now?

[barmybunting]

Yes, the tree surgeon was superb, he was so kind and gentle with him!

15/20ft I reckon they are well left alone to sort out themselves but he was just stuck and with the wind and storm here today, I'm very pleased he is home!

I'm not sure he'll be going out anytime soon!

[thecatneuterer]

What a relief!

[Corygal]

Good luck with the rescue - let us know how it goes.

[HectorVector]

Yay! Well done that tree surgeon!

[Mogz]

Yay, super tree surgeon! Give the silly kitty a big hug and a big talking to.

[issey6cats]

so glad to find out you got him, the problem with cats going up trees is that their claws go away from their paws so form nice easy hooks to get up the tree, but they wont go backwards as they cant see where they are going and see this as danger behind them, and they cant go upside down to come down the tree as their claws are in the wrong position to hold their wheight which is why some fall off the tree

[Beamur]

Glad he's home safe.

[Fluffycloudland77]

How much did he charge you for rescuing puss?

Glad he's all safe and sound now.

[RandomMess]

So glad you got a happy ending.

[ToffeeOwnsTheSausage]

Thank goodness he is back home and okay.

[NearTheWindmill]

So glad to hear this; I have been worrying about him

[barmybunting]

Fluffycloud he didn't charge us anything, he was unbelievably kind. When I phoned he just said "I've got cats, I'll sort you out, don't worry. I'm on a job half an hour up the road, I'm leaving now." and he was at my door half an hour later. He then rescued our cat, refused a cup of tea and said he would be leaving me to look after the cat. I asked about payment/invoicing and he just told me there was no charge, he couldn't have left the cat up there and he hoped other people would help his cats if they were stuck, so he was happy to help.

He was brilliant! I have written him a letter to say thank you and I'm going to send him a present for his cats to go some way of saying thank you.

[Fluffycloudland77]

That's so kind. Dh would do that kind of thing for an animal, he wouldn't for a person though.

[barmybunting]

Your DH sounds like a lovely man fluffy. Anyone who will do something like this is lovely I think!

As for a person, they should know better, so I think that makes sense .