Rufus

Rufus climbed a Poison Ivy tree. Yes, I know that Poison Ivy is a vine, and, yes, technically, there was a struggling Tallow tree underneath the surface that provided the structural support, but when Poison Ivy dominates a tree like this and is the only thing visible on the outside, I feel reasonably justified in calling this a Poison Ivy tree. Contact with the vine is unavoidable, but, fortunately, my body has been exposed to it so much during the rescues I have done that it hardly reacts to it anymore. The biggest problem I have with it is how annoying it is and how it limits my climbing options. Now, getting back to Rufus.

Rufus is a one-year-old kitty in Denham Springs, Louisiana who got stuck about 30 feet high in the top fork of the Poison Ivy tree, and he spent one long, miserable night there desperate to get down. His rescue was easy if you overlook the slow, strenuous climb through the irritating vines to reach him. Once I was within reach of him, I held a carrier up to him, and, while he had some reservations about it at first, this sweet, sociable boy stepped inside for a quick ride back down to the ground where Amanda was anxiously waiting for him. It all ended well, and Rufus and Amanda are both very happy to be back together again, but I hope I never have to climb that Poison Ivy tree again.