Four-thirty on a Friday afternoon is not the best time to drive on the interstate to a rescue, but that is when the call came in, and I wanted to be sure I could finish the rescue before sunset. So I endured the slow traffic through construction zones and arrived at the site where I met Adam, Amber and their son, Nathan. They led me to the backyard where Elsa, their four-year old gray tabby, was stuck about 20 feet high in a very tall oak tree. Elsa was on the lowest available limb of the tree and had already spent one night there. I wanted to be sure she did not have to spend another night in the tree, especially with severe storms forecast for the next morning. Elsa was crying to us below, and she seemed reasonably calm. Adam and Amber had already told me that Elsa was a very friendly girl, but I wanted to verify that with them one more time. They assured me that she liked strangers, so I was hoping for an easy, cooperative kitty. I was not disappointed. I installed my rope in the tree and climbed up to her. She remained in place and continued to cry for me. She greeted me readily and was perfectly comfortable with me. I petted her, and she appeared eager to go down with me. Yep, they were right. She is a friendly girl.
I pulled up my carrier and held it up to her. She looked at it only a few seconds before deciding that that was her ride down, and she was not going to miss it. I did not have to encourage her or entice her inside with food. She readily walked inside, and all I had to do was close the door and bring her down.
Once on the ground, I gave her to Adam. He and Nathan took her inside and released her there while Amber followed close behind. They happily welcomed their sweet kitty back home and gave her food and water. After she settled down, Adam sent this picture of her to me. The family is all safely back together again, and that's the way it's supposed to be. I love those easy rescues.
