The caller was Paula, and her cat, Doodle, had been stuck in a tree in her neighbor's yard since the day before. Paula had an appointment but would be back in a couple of hours. I agreed to meet her when she got home, as that would give me enough time to eat some lunch, rehydrate and get some rest. Plus, it sounded like the cat would be friendly and cooperative, so maybe the rescue would be fairly easy.
I met Paula at her house, and she led me around the corner to the neighbor who graciously allowed us free access to her backyard. There in the backyard I saw a tall pecan tree and quickly spotted Doodle about 35 feet high. Doodle walked along a branch calling for us.

He walked slowly toward me until he was within reach of my outstretched hand which he sniffed. He came closer and sniffed again. This time he let me pet him, and we both relaxed as the cloud of uncertainty blew away. He was a sweet boy, and he knew he could trust me. I offered him a can of food to further cement our friendship, but he wasn't very interested at the moment. Just the same, I put the food in the back of the carrier and held it up to him. He was curious and not at all disturbed by it, but he did not go inside. I gave him a few minutes and some reassurance, and then he decided to go inside to sniff the food. I tucked his tail inside and closed the door. Easy and gentle.
I brought Doodle down and gave him to Paula. She walked him home while I began to pack up. When I finished, I went to Paula's house to get the carrier and see how they were doing. There I met Doodle's two siblings, one of which, Taz, is Doodle's litter mate. Taz did not recognize Doodle, because his scent was different. Consequently, to Taz, Doodle was an strange intruder who deserved no hospitality. Taz, hissed and swatted at Doodle who was simply confused by the rude reception he was getting. After all, Taz smelled the same to him. I have seen this happen before, but hopefully they will get back to normal soon.
While I visited there, it was clear to me that Paula loves her three cats and that they mean very much to her. The cats have a very good home with her and are enjoying a life of luxury. As I left, Paula thanked me again saying, "You saved my best friend."
That beautifully summarizes why I find this so rewarding and meaningful.
I love doing this.