# Advice re: cat up a tree **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182 "2007-03-08T23:33:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/1 "2007-03-08T23:33:13Z")
Dopers, any suggestions? First, let me say that I know cats belong indoors. However, my husband takes one of our cats outside for the occasional supervised playtime. Our neighbors have friends staying with them who have a dog, and the dog has treed our cat. She is up there about 40 feet. It is getting dark. She is settled in on a branch and it looks like a rough climb down. Anyone ever had any luck with this? How bad is a fall from that height? A google search indicated that getting a tree trimmer tomorrow is the best option. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/2 "2007-03-08T23:58:53Z")
See [Roxanne](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093886/) for the solution. Basically, get the dog inside for a few hours, then take out a can opener and open a can of cat food where said cat can see and hear you. Place can on ground. Go inside. Cat will get itself down without your help. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/3 "2007-03-09T00:07:16Z")
The dog has been confined. The cat is still way the frack up there. The Spry Spouse is trying some kind of pully scheme with a basket. He is an engineer so he can’t help but try. It is now completely dark. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/4 "2007-03-09T00:46:59Z")
Oh we had this trouble. One cat will get treed/stuck/hide for a while then come back. The other will sit there and wait until a responsible adult comes to fetch her. :rolleyes: For high trees I recall a ladder, a basket, a rainstorm and a few gentlish pokes with a soft bristled broom. Other than that, you might just have to leave her for the night with the food idea and try tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/5 "2007-03-09T00:50:48Z")
I just saw on the news where a cat had been rescued after being in a tree for six days. They said some cats will die up there rather than come down- I had no idea! When I was a kid, to get our cat out of the tree, we’d throw a big rubber dodgeball-like ball at it until it came down. Sounds mean, but it worked. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/6 "2007-03-09T00:57:00Z")
I don’t think that any cat skeletons have ever been discovered in a tree. Their claws and dexterity got them up there. The same will get them down when they do not feel threatened anymore. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/7 "2007-03-09T01:45:39Z")
Well, my mother, who knows everything (well other than the few things I know that she doesn’t, but between the two of us we’re omnicient) says when this happens they will in fact make it down by themselves. They seem to be better at going up than down. Perhaps because of their affinity with God and heaven…which puts a rather bad light on God and heaven. Although if there’s an affinity at least I know I’ll get a blanket and plenty of sleep in the afterlife. But no, seriously, he will probably come down, with a graceful catlike thump. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/8 "2007-03-09T01:56:22Z")
40 feet seems well past graceful, probably well past thump. I’m hoping it’s not as bad as splat. The ground below is leaf-covered, not paved. I’m hoping she will be able to work her magic descent under cover of darkeness. If not, it’s the tree service tomorrow. I have found some local ones that list “cat rescue” in their services, which is a relief. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/9 "2007-03-09T03:06:27Z")
[QUOTE=betenoir] . They seem to be better at going up than down. Perhaps because of their affinity with God and heaven… [/QUOTE] Perhaps… But I suspect it has more to do with their recurved claws ;). Cats can up at near full-speed because their claws give excellent purchase on bark going up. But by the same token, they can’t race back down facing fowards - no grip. They pretty much have to come down a tall tree by inching backwards, which is a much slower, more laborious and insecure process. The taller the tree the more intimidating I imagine it is. Some cats are pros at it, most ( especially indoor ) cats seem not to be. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/10 "2007-03-09T05:38:58Z")
My only cat/tree experience was with my own very pregnant cat who decided to slip out and see the world immediately before issuing forth kittens. A neighbor found her a way up in his tree. After surveying the situation, I said to hell with attempting to climb up there myself, and went to the firehouse, assembled a crew, took a truck out, laddered the tree, and fetched the crazy brood queen. The neighbors were amused. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/11 "2007-03-09T11:35:05Z")
Indoor cat? Why don’t you keep albatrosses? You problably have had it declawed.:sulk: ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/12 "2007-03-09T11:46:49Z")
[QUOTE=The Librarian] Indoor cat? Why don’t you keep albatrosses? You problably have had it declawed.:sulk: [/QUOTE] It’s all very well for you to snark. _You_ could just climb up and fetch the damn cat. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/13 "2007-03-09T11:53:51Z")
Some info about cat habits when they are left alone: > [@](#): > > The Wildcat (Felis silvestris), sometimes “Wild Cat” or “Wild-cat”, is a small predator native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar size. There are several subspecies which occur in different world regions. Sometimes included is the ubiquitous domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus), which has been introduced to every habitable continent and most of the world’s larger islands, and has become feral in many of those environments; more recently the house cat is considered as a full species on its own, Felis catus. > > In its native environment, the Wildcat is adaptable to a variety of habitat types: savanna, open forest, and steppe. Although domesticated breeds show a great variety of shapes and colours, wild individuals are medium-brown with black stripes, between 50 and 80 cm (20–32 inches) in length, and weigh between 3 and 6 kilograms (6–13 pounds). The African subspecies tends to be a little smaller and a lighter brown in colour. > > The Wildcat is extremely timid. It avoids coming too close to human settlements. It lives solitarily and **hold territories of about 3 km² each**. (wikipedia) IMO: A cat who can’t climb a tree is crippled by it’s owners. Try goldfish. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/14 "2007-03-09T12:42:35Z")
We had a cat who was stuck about 100 feet up a not particularly accessible tree for the better part of a week. It was painful to hear him yowl night after night, but he eventually got himself down. We weren’t home at the time, so we don’t know how. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/15 "2007-03-09T12:56:43Z")
I take it none of you have seen _Police Academy_? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/16 "2007-03-09T14:25:44Z")
[QUOTE=ltfire] I don’t think that any cat skeletons have ever been discovered in a tree. Their claws and dexterity got them up there. The same will get them down when they do not feel threatened anymore. [/QUOTE] That’s what I’ve always been told, but if ever a skeleton was discovered, it’d probably be that of my dumb-ass Lloyd. He’s an indoor cat now, but in his outdoor days he got stuck up a tree several times. We always wound up calling the tree service guys, who advertised that they’d fetch your cat down for free. Of course, we’d pay them anyway. During one rescue, Lloyd actually fell out of the tree. As soon as he quit bouncing, he dug a hole and sat down for a crap. Poor kitty! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/17 "2007-03-09T15:05:10Z")
The first reply was the best. Open a can of tuna, set on the ground. The cat will come down eventually. When ours climbed up inside the dash of our car, it was the only way to get him out of there without dismantling the damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/18 "2007-03-09T15:05:27Z")
The cat has been successfully rescued by the tree service. We claim Doper bonus points because she was lowered down in the basket and pully system my husband had rigged up. She is now busily grooming her paws. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/19 "2007-03-09T15:21:09Z")
So glad your kitty is safe. Once she’s had a rest and some kibble may we have a picture? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-re-cat-up-a-tree/395182/20 "2007-03-09T15:32:47Z")
[QUOTE=The Librarian] Indoor cat? Why don’t you keep albatrosses? You problably have had it declawed.:sulk: [/QUOTE] [Moderator hat on]If you want to make snarky comments based on unwarranted assumptions, please do so in The BBQ Pit, not here.[/Moderator hat on]