NEAR SLIDELL, La. – A cat that had been trapped high in a thin pine tree about 75 feet above the ground for about a week was rescued early Tuesday morning by a professional climber.
Following the rescue, the cat was taken to Lakeshore Veterinary Hospital where it was treated for dehydration, but otherwise looked to be in good condition.
Ron Hastings, a veteran climber, was contacted by the Humane Society of Louisiana about attempting to free the cat following a report on WWL-TV Monday night.
Hastings began his ascent around 8 a.m. and as he approached the cat, it scampered to the highest point in the tree and onto a flimsy branch.
Hastings said the cat was obviously scared and was meowing a lot and making noises he said he’d never heard from a cat before. As he tried to go higher into the tree, Hastings realized the branches at the top of the tree wouldn’t support his weight.
At that point a “catch pole” which is a long device with a circular end that is often used to capture wild dogs, was sent up to him by rope.
With explicit direction from the Humane Society, Hastings was eventually able to get the cat into the device and into a kennel or “pet taxi,” which was then lowered to the ground.
The rescue took about 45 minutes, which Hastings said was longer than he expected.
He told Jill Hezeau that his biggest fear was that the cat would try to jump and injure itself.
In the report on WWL-TV Monday night, several experts talked about the dangers of trying to rescue the cat, but Hastings said he has climbed hundreds of trees, many taller than this one and has rescued dozens of cats.
After being rescued out of the Slidell tree, the cat was taken to a Mandeville Animal Hospital.
Dr. Lee Capone of Lakeshore Veterinary Hospital said the cat tested positive for a feline immune deficiency disease. The disease is not uncommon among cats that live in the wild. Capone said he believes this cat may have at one time been a house pet who ran away and has been living in the wild.
Jeff Dorson of the Humane Society of Louisiana said they expect to adopt the animal out, but the cat's illness means it will have special needs.
The Humane Society is looking for donations to help pay for medical care.
If you want to help or need adoption information, call (888) 6-HUMANE, or log on to HumaneLA.org.
