I bet if they'd put one or two large bowls of cat food on the ground right next to the tree, the cat would have soon found it's way down the tree.

(Like when a Grit or Dipper gets stuck up a tree. Just put a big trough full of tax dollars at the bottom. He'll be down in a flash! :-)

How come people don't do this for bear cubs?

Keith Richards did it for coconuts.

his landing was not as adept as a cats.

Is this the very first man to rescue his cat from a tree that didn't fall in a humorous way?
What is the probability of that?
WOW!
I bet those neighbors standing around gawking at the clmber/traction patient are pissed for not videoing the first ever successful cat from tree rescue.
Statistically speaking it had to happen eventually.
The video footage would have been amazing to behold.

"...I confess to shedding a quiet tear every time I see a cat skeleton in a tree."

I feel the same way each time I see a dead dog next to the highway. :-)

I shed a quiet tear when my field-goal attempt from 55 yards, using the neighbourhood poodle on a football tee, comes up just short. They should really make those annoying yappy things a little more aerodynamic.

Sean,
Your not picking up what Kate is laying down.
How many dead cats have you ever seen in a tree?

It's a natural process. These are special cats, they know it's their time to climb a tree, weave a cocoon and eventually emerge as wonderful flying cats. But it never happens, cause the do-gooders keep stopping it. Damn.

Shoulda tossed it at the front line of gawkers. "Here, catch!" "MROOOOOWR!" "Oh, shit!"...

"Your not picking up what Kate is laying down.
How many dead cats have you ever seen in a tree?"

None, but that's not the point. Tormenting dog lovers is the point.

HA HA HA...

That was a great story... Thanks Kate... needed that to start my week off right!

Why is it that people will do anything for an animal yet nothing for thier fellow humanbeing?

Sean...

let me guess, you have many cats, a shopping cart and some spiffy sweat pants you wear in public. Cat owners are can-openers with feet.

Why is it that people will do anything for an animal yet nothing for thier fellow humanbeing?

Because animals are nice :-) Seriously, though, my cats don't hassle me for my political beliefs, don't beg me for money or make me feel bad about not giving money to poor animals (although I do), and generally treat me better than most people do.

I got a laugh out of Kate's post because it is so true. However, I'd still try to "save" a kitty up a tree, but I won't blame the emergency personnel for having better things to do.

The only time we "saved" cats lodged in a tree was when the mother chose to have them in an abandoned crow's nest. We brought them down because the kids couldn't reach them when they wanted to play with them.

I'm going to sound awefull.

If you can reach kitty with a labber, you can reach him with a hose, and kitty can reach the ground without harm. A 10-12' drop is nothing for a cat. The trick is to suprize kitty with the hose so kitty falls out of the tree.

Yeah, it's a slow news day in Winnipeg.

When you come across a "Cat rescues man up a tree" story,then you'll have some news.

BTW,a friend has a fridge magnet that says it well....

You're nobody until you've been ignored by a cat!

fiesty - animals aren't nice; they're demanding, dirty and disease carrying and sometimes down right dangerous. The only place they have in the home is for work or food!

Ha! Now how's that for extreme practicality. ;)

and that "game-y" taste doesn't do it for me either... yuk.

I had a cat that was at the top of a forty foot powerpole, she meowed at us for six days!
The power company wouldn't come help.
So I rode in the bucket of our front end loader, the loader reaches about twenty feet in the air, and from there, I had a windsurfer mast(hollow fiberglass) and fed through the mast was my trusty old lariet. I slipped the end of the rope around the cat's neck and pulled her down to the ground. And everyone was happy!

My favorite "cat" bumper stickers:

Missing your cat? Check under my tires.

Ask me about microwaving cats for fun and profit.

I love cats. They taste like chicken.

Hey Sean,

What's bad about dogs?

I like dogs. No dog was ever a liberal. It's people I don't much care for...

marc...

have you had any chinese food lately ?

my nom de plume is named after a cat and good friend for 19 years.

Why is it that people will do anything for an animal yet nothing for thier fellow human being?

Fellow human beings will f**k you over for a percentage if they get a chance. Also, human beings are supposed to have a brain and the ability to make decisions and look after themselves. Human beings are just a diseased as any animal and often mentally too.

Animals don't have these attributes. Pound for pound cats are the best life form on the planet. Dogs are second only because they are such suckholes.

Animals don't lie and don't kill for fun.

They don't drink and take drugs then go out driving in a car.

The more I know about humans, the more I like my cat.

If I ever retire, I will get a dog. They need lots of attention.

Good post Kate. I like stuff about animals.

My Cat was in a tree by my house and I wanted to leave it there. My kind neighbour insisted on rescueing the stupid thing even though I told him not to. He got his ladder anyway, climbed up, grabbed the cat, got bitten hard, dropped the cat 20 feet, cat runs away, neighbour comes down. Even though he was in incredible pain he complimented himself on a job well done and went home. I see him 2 days later with a swollen infected hand wrapped in a bandage. His dumb ass wife wanted to sue us. For what I could not figure out. Bad relations with neighbour after that.

So, Duke,

if you ever found your self in a situation where you had to choose between the life of a human being--albeit a stranger or even someone you might despise--and that of your pet dog or cat, which would you choose?

Fluffy McGoo... I like the sound of that. Although I like all animals, I think a defining moment came when during a typical Canadian blizzard when Odie needed to go for a walk. That and when spring comes and the snow melts in your back yard.

I might add that I have noted when men are kind and loving to cats ... chicks are impressed.

If you can learn to cook too ... women will beat a path to your kitchen.

Oven mittens and little kittens with get you a lot of what you might just want.

if you ever found your self in a situation where you had to choose between the life of a human being--albeit a stranger or even someone you might despise--and that of your pet dog or cat, which would you choose?

Even though I am being set up here .. I will answer the question.

I would choose the pet ... but then that's me eh?

If you don't mind, cut the insult trading.

Kate -- I actually have a cat skull, found about 40 feet up, in a crook between a branch and the trunk of a big Western Red Cedar tree I took down. I kept it for a science project for one of the kids some day. Kind of a gross/cool thing. I suspect it was the remains of an eagle or raccoon meal, and didn't actually get stuck up there (but who knows?).

A couple of weeks ago here in Toronto, we had 'The Great Raccoon on a Lampost' dilemma. It made the news for about 2 days. Darn raccoon was stranded at the top of the pole and was apparently going to starve to death.

People (in Birkenstocks no doubt) came out with old blankets and pillows and all kinds of goofy raccoon treats. Candles were lit and prayers were said.

Nobody seemed to realize that the poor bugger wasn't about to come down to 30 people talking and yelling and filming with bright lights and snapping flash photos.

Then mysteriously, a miracle occured. One night when everybody had finally left the raccoon alone for a few hours it came down all on it's own and wandered off into the dark.

Who woulda thunk it?

My cat behaves itself...It's name? Stew.

Duke,

You got any recipes for little Kittens

Just Kidding, Ive hade cates all my life, 73 years

kasper, my white short haired cat got stuck up in a tree while back. Crazy thing loved climbing, would sit on top of our roof sometimes, then again that's how he got away from the foxes nearby.

Anyway long story short, I got on a short ladder and with my hockey stick knocked him off...err I would tap on a branch nearly below him and he'd go to it. Then I'd tap on another and he'd go to it till eventually I could reach him by the scruff of the neck and haul him down.

Guess he figured he would rather follow my tapping than getting slap shot off the tree. ;-)

I just tied buttered toast to his back and dropped them from the counter...will tell you the result of which landed first tomorrow.

"I would choose the pet ... but then that's me eh?"

Spoken like a true Stalinist.

Rather ... spoken like a true misanthrope and proud of it.

I didn't know Stalin was big cat lover.

Ahhh , and just think , Lil Kittens are a delicacy in China , 2nd is Baby Monkees , followed by Puppies.

Ever wonder while watching those Documentaries on 3rd World Countries there are no cats or dogs in the picture ??