Help! My Cat is Trapped in a Tree

What to Do When Your Cat Gets Stuck in a Tree

Your cat may be chasing a bird or a squirrel or simply trying to escape the neighbor’s dog but before you know, the cat has scaled the tree. His heart-breaking crying alerts you to his predicament. Your poor kitty, scared and stuck in a tree. What can you do?

Try hard to resist your first impulse to contact the fire department. Not only will most fire departments not be able to spare life-saving equipment to get a cat, the noise and commotion of a fire engine and ladder are likely to result in driving the cat even further up the tree.

But relax. Though you may not believe it, what goes up can usually come down without help. Most cats just need a little peace and quiet and some time to analyze the situation.

The first thing you need to do is to watch your cat for a little while to make sure she is not injured. If she appears injured, she may need medical attention right away. In these situations, contact your local animal control or veterinarian’s office for assistance.

For the uninjured cats, the best thing to do is not bring attention to the situation. Keep other people and animals away from the tree. Get a can of your cat’s favorite food or a treat – tuna is quite popular – and place the opened can on the ground at the base of the tree. Now comes the hard part – go inside and wait.

You may have to wait several hours but eventually, your cat will realize that it is up to her to get down and she will gracefully climb down to freedom, a special treat and your waiting arms. Just wait until she returns into the house to give her a well deserved hug and kiss.