Help: Cat in Tree

by Kathy Devine, Queens, New York

We had 3 harrowing tree climbing incidents. The first happened when Mali was a wee thing. She climbed up a tree which happened to be covered by a poison ivy vine. Which Bob & I didn't notice until the morning, after we had formed a human ladder to get her down, which entailed hugging the tree. Poor Bob's privates were swollen to 3x the size. Mali had slept by my face that night, which might explain why both sides of my face became swollen. I had to give a presentation to 200 teachers a few days later. I could only look down. Plus I looked like something out of a Stephen King film (or a Dean Koontz book?). Dark glasses helped. Bob still has recurrences when his immune system is down, but not in the same place <grin>

The other 2 incidents happened fairly recently. Mia's son Forest went up a tree and wouldn't come down all night. We fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective) live around the corner from the firehouse. I waited from 4 a.m. until 6, keeping Forest company, until one of the guys came out to pick up the paper. I explained my predicament, and he got a couple of the guys, a ladder & gloves and got Forest down in moments. He never climbed a tree again. I wrote a lovely letter to the top brass of the NYFD.

Mia is blind in one eye and climbed the largest tree in the neighborhood, which happens to be in my backyard. She has no depth perception. and wouldn't come down for 2 days. The crows were attacking her by day 2. I walked to the firehouse again. This time they came with the truck, and bells and whistles. All the neighbors came out for the show. Mia kept climbing out of the reach of the top man on the ladder. When he got her, we celebrated with cranberry juice. That reminds me, I should bring over some baked goods or something. I watched these guys put out a fire across from our old house, and they were true heroes. But saving my cats made them even more heroic in our eyes.

I think all you have to do is ask - not call 911 or anything. Just go yourself and talk to them. These guys are local joes, the boys next door grown up. They're not likely to turn you down, unless they have a draconian supervisor. BTW, Mia has never climbed a tree again!

Editor's note:

• If you want to comment on this article, why not write direct to Kathy Devine?
• She will be pleased to hear from you!
• See this article for further advice concerning cats in trees

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