Kitty

Many cats do not like carriers, and that is understandable given that they are so often associated with negative and scary experiences such as a trip to the vet.  But Kitty is different.  Kitty likes carriers.  She even chooses to sleep inside one most nights.  But not this night.  This night, Kitty spent in a tree.  We don't know what drove her up there, but Heather found her 50 feet high in a tree the next morning.  I went out there to rescue Kitty that afternoon, and I intended to take advantage of her love of carriers to gain her much-needed cooperation.

 Kitty is a two-year old, black and white kitty, and, while she is mostly sociable with people, she doesn't exactly rush to greet strangers.  I expected she would be uncomfortable with my approach in the tree, so I planned to allow her some time to get used to me.  I would need her cooperation to rescue her, since she was perched far out on a fork of a branch and would be very difficult to reach otherwise.
When I climbed up level with Kitty, she spoke to me and stayed in her position, but she was still out on the branch several feet away from me.  When I began to slowly move closer toward her, she became uncomfortable and walked several feet out on her narrow limb away from me.  I paused to give her time to settle down before moving any farther toward her.
When I pulled myself within reach of her original perch at the fork of the branch, I offered her some food.  She seemed interested and took a couple of steps toward me, but settled down there and came no farther.  I put the food in the back of the carrier, and positioned the carrier on her branch with the door opening facing her.  The carrier clearly got her attention, and she began to walk toward it.  She walked all the way up to it and peered inside.  She wanted to investigate this interesting box thoroughly before going inside, but she did very much want to go in.  She took several minutes contemplating this attractive box, and occasionally would peer over the box at me to make sure I was trustworthy enough.  I held my hand out to her to let her sniff, and I would have liked to touch her gently, but she was just out of my reach at that point.  Still, the close contact seemed to be enough to satisfy her, and she slowly walked inside.  Once inside, the food held her attention long enough for me to carefully bring her closer and close the door.  She was very calm and quiet and never said a word on the entire trip down to the ground.

 Kitty is safe at home now, and other than being a little hungry and thirsty, she is doing just fine.  She is settling back in her routine, and that includes sleeping in her carrier.  Heather sent these pictures to me afterward.