Cat stuck in a tree? Tips from Canopy Cat Rescue & pet sitters share their experiences

For professional pet sitters—entrusted with the care of owners’ precious pets while they are away—this information is especially vital. So, PSI reached out to our professional pet-sitting members to ask:

Have you ever had a client’s cat get stuck in a tree and how did he or she get down?

PSI member Liz, owner of a professional pet-sitting business in North Carolina, had recently experienced this very situation. While she prefers to only offer pet-sitting services for inside-only cats, she did have one client who allowed her cat access outdoors. Despite spending extra time at the client’s home, returning for multiple visits and attempting to coax the cat down, nothing worked. Liz explains they tried everything to no avail—and could not find anyone to assist without charging a large fee. When she called her client, Liz was told that the cat had recently done the same thing and had ultimately fallen halfway down the tree. Out of options, Liz reluctantly left the home for the night, with the cat still high in the tree.

As Shaun and Tom, co-owners of Cat Canopy Rescue, shared during their BarkWorld presentation, this scenario is all too common. The pair explained that cats climb trees for a variety of reasons, including:

• Being chased
• Moved to a new/unfamiliar neighborhood
• Hunting birds/squirrels
• Not neutered/bully cats
• Scared or spooked
• To escape attack

While we may assume that the cats would just simply climb back down, there are many scenarios where this isn’t possible. In some cases, the shape of the cat’s claws prevents her from climbing back down or she became physically stuck. Some cats may be injured and unable to come down because the predator they are trying to escape is still in the area; in other cases, the cat is simply too high up or just too scared to come down.

As a professional pet sitter, what should you do if a client's cat gets stuck in a tree?

Obviously, notifying the cat’s owner is an important first step. Sean and Tom advised that after a cat has been stuck for more than 24 hours, calling outside help is necessary—for strictly indoor cats, you may need call for rescue help sooner.

While some local fire departments may still be willing to help rescue cats in trees, this is not a service typically offered by fire departments any longer. So, who should you call? An arborist.

An arborist (tree climber/tree service) will have the necessary equipment and tools to reach stuck cats, even at great heights in large trees.

Please note: Your local tree service may not be like Canopy Cat Rescue—Sean and Tom offer the service for free (accepting donations) “because EVERY cat deserves the chance to be rescue.” So, inquire about the fees associated with the rescue.

When you contact your local arborist or tree service, you’ll need to provide a variety of information including the type and height of tree, type of cat (is it your cat, a feral cat, is it fearful, friendly, etc.) and also whose property the tree is on. The tree service would need permission from the property owner to come on the property and climb the tree to rescue the cat.

Sean and Tom shared that the time of day may also impact the rescue. At Canopy Cat Rescue, they will do rescues at night (in the dark) for friendlier cats, but may opt to wait until daytime for cats that are more skittish.

To learn more about Sean and Tom at Canopy Cat Rescue, visit their website, “like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

 As for Liz’s client’s cat in the tree? After two days the cat didn’t budge, even when the owners returned home. However, a neighbor with a tall ladder was able to assist, but again the cat ultimately jumped way down. Fortunately, the cat was okay, but Liz says she was a nervous wreck and it’s not an experience she hopes to go through again!

Has your cat or a client’s cat been stuck in a tree?

What did you do? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

—Beth Stultz, PSI