Cat Rescue Guy

Jennifer and her entire family fell in love with the friendly, juvenile, gray tabby kitty that showed up at their rural home near Denham Springs, Louisiana two weeks ago, but they could not bring it into their home because of serious allergies in the family. They did their best to keep the kitty safe and comfortable outside, including giving it an enclosed, heated shelter, but they knew this was only a short-term solution while they worked to find a good, permanent home. It wasn't until after the children named it Oscar that they learned that this kitty is a girl, but the name stuck anyway. Now, Oscar is 50 feet high at the top of a tree at the edge of a wooded area bordering the front yard, and she spent one night there before they found me to rescue her. Sweet, friendly kitties like Oscar are such a pleasure to rescue. She came straight to me, and I lifted her out of her perch and placed her on my lap where we had a sweet visit for a minute or two. I had already spread the bottom

This was a fun rescue. It was fun not only because of Blondie's friendly, trusting, affectionate, kitten-like enthusiasm, but also because of the bonus I got at the end. Blondie -- named by Julie's grandchild -- is a seven-month-old orange tabby boy, and he was stuck 35 feet high on the lowest limb of a tall Sweetgum tree by his home near St. Francisville, Louisiana for one night. He was desperate for a rescue and cried loudly for help. My rope installation process did not disturb him one bit, and he watched my every move in expectation that I would help him somehow. When I started climbing up toward him, he started getting more excited to see me coming, and by the time I reached him, I was already his best friend. He began reaching for me, rubbing his head against me, and wanting to attach himself to me before I was even ready for him. I had to put some distance between us so I could spread the bottom of the cat bag over my lap, and then I let him step on my lap. He was excite

I have been very lucky to have several super-sweet cats to rescue lately. I know my luck will not last forever, but I am certainly enjoying myself in the meantime, and these last two rescues continued the trend. Frank, a beautiful Siamese kitty in Slidell, Louisiana, was stuck in his neighbor's oak tree for two nights. He wasn't very high, and a bolder cat would have found a way down this leaning trunk, but Frank is not a bold boy. When I began to install my rope above him, he became scared and climbed down to a point where he could be reached with the 10-foot ladder that was already there. When I climbed the ladder up to him, he began to purr and was very friendly with me. I tried to lift him with my hand under his chest, but he wasn't comfortable with that. I spent a little more time with him and then tried it again. Like a young couple's first kiss, i t was awkward, but we made it work, and I held him in one hand against my body while I carefully stepped down the lad

Cats sure can cause a lot of trouble. Not only can they cause trouble for their own family, but they can cause trouble for anyone who happens to be nearby. For example, when you find an unknown cat stuck in a tree in your yard, like it or not, you suddenly have the trouble of being responsible for the cat. It doesn't matter if you don't have time or even if you hate cats, you have the trouble of finding someone who can rescue the cat, and then you need to take care of the cat until you find its owner. If the owner is not found, then you need to find a home for the cat. That's trouble, and many people simply won't or can't put out that much effort to help an unknown cat. Depending on who, if anyone, takes responsibility for the cat, the cat's eventual fate can range anywhere between sublime and tragic. Dewey was lucky. He was lucky because he happened to get stuck in a tree on the property belonging to Lamar and Stacy, and they were willing to go to the trouble o

Whenever I approach a cat stuck in a tree, I desperately want him to welcome me, recognize my good intentions, trust me, and be friendly with me as soon as I am close to him. Indeed, I want that for every cat I see whether he is in a tree or on the ground. I imagine we all want a warm reception like that, but it's not a particularly realistic expectation in every case. In fact, when I think about it, I marvel that any cat would ever be receptive at all. Imagine being approached by a creature of a different species who is at least 15 times larger and clearly much more powerful, not only in strength but also in his control over his environment. It must surely be frightening to stand next to such an imposing beast towering over you and focusing his attention on you. What will he do next? Yes, I am amazed when a cat gives me a warm reception, and I feel so honored and lucky to get it. That's how I felt with Blue, a four-month-old kitty in Central, Louisiana who got stuck in a tree