Blue

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 in his backyard overnight. Blue didn't have to think about it. He fully trusted me from the start and was eager to be friends with me, and he was confident in my intention and ability to take him safely back down to the ground. He stepped on my lap as soon as I presented it to him, and he even put his front paws on my chest to reach up closer to my face. I had already spread the bottom of the cat bag over my lap, so I put all four of his paws back down in the center and then pulled the sides of the bag up around him to secure him inside for a safe trip back down. He is now safe inside with his loving family of six, all of whom were very worried about him. Thank you for trusting me, Blue. It was an honor and a joy to rescue you.