This unknown orange and white kitty turned out to be sweet, but he sure did make it hard for me to reach him. For unknown reasons, he climbed up a large Sweet Gum tree outside the fence of Sara's backyard next to a creek, and he went very far out on a long, large limb that arched over the top of an adjacent, smaller tree. The only reason Sara knew he was there was because he cried a lot. He was not easy to find in all the thick foliage of both trees, but Sara finally found him draped over the limb. She created a post on Nextdoor asking for help, and someone there referred her to me. Another person, Kaycie, also responded to that post saying she thought that cat might be her cat that was missing, so she and I both met there the following morning after the kitty's second night in the tree.
I spent a long time studying the tree to find a way to reach this crying kitty so far away from the trunk. Dense foliage blocked my view upward, and it was a while before I found a small opening where I could see a suitable limb very high in the tree that would put me in a good position. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to shoot my weighted bag through that tiny opening in the foliage at precisely the correct angle to reach that target limb, but, after eight tries, I finally got it. I don't know how long it took me to get my rope installed, but it was a long time, and, when I finally finished, I looked over at the kitty, and my heart sank when I saw that he had quietly walked even farther out toward the end of the limb. After studying the matter a bit, I realized that I no longer needed the rope I had just installed with so much time and trouble. Now, it appeared that it would be easier to climb the adjacent tree, because now the kitty is hovering over the center of the top of that tree.
I left my rope installed in the tree in case the cat decided to go back toward it, and I easily installed a second rope in the adjacent tree. I had to climb all the way to the top of the tree in order to get close to the cat, and I was very pleased to see that he stayed there just within reach. He seemed scared at times, but he also appeared to welcome some company. I reached my hand out to him, and he sniffed it and let me pet him. He relaxed, and so did I. We spent a few minutes making a good friendship up there, and then I prepared to bag him. I wanted him in the bag because I wanted to check him for a microchip once we got back on the ground. It is much easier and safer to scan him through the bag while keeping him contained. I easily bagged him and brought him down.
Kaycie was anxiously awaiting on the ground to see the cat up close to see if it was her missing cat. Unfortunately, it was not her cat, but it certainly did look very much like him. I scanned him for a microchip and did not find one. Since no one else had reported any knowledge of the cat, I was forced to take him to the local shelter, Companion Animal Alliance, where they will have him neutered and, hopefully, available for adoption. He was certainly tame and sweet with me, so I know he is very well suited for adoption. If anyone needs to claim him, his impound number is 108192, and I very much hope this sweet boy finds a good home soon.
