Effective ways to quickly remove a cat from a tall tree yourself

This article was prompted by a post from social networks, which described the following situation:

Good people, help me, I haven’t slept all night, there is a cat in the tree opposite my window, and apparently she has problems... she is yelling at the whole yard... I don’t know what to do anymore, give me some advice on how to get her out of there? Perhaps it's time to call the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry?

After reading the comments, we were certainly surprised by the imagination of our fellow citizens:

“do you have a gun?”;
“throw slippers at her”;
“suck it up and sing along”;
“they cut down a tree” and many other similar things.

Many people generally ask questions: How much does this service cost at the Ministry of Emergency Situations?

Answer: not at all, and rescuers go to such cases only when possible. Read the article to find out.

Now we will tell you ways to force the animal to go down on its own. There are several simple and not so simple methods that work in 90% of cases and help remove an animal from a tall tree without the help of special animal rescue services in your city.

When to remove a cat from a tree

Cats' paws have a special structure that easily allows them to climb almost any vertical surface, including trees. But if a cat can climb up without any problems, then problems often arise with descent to the ground. Animals are simply afraid to climb backwards, and jumping is not always possible.

You can try to persuade the kitten to get off the branch

So how do you understand that a cat has climbed a tree and cannot get down, and what to do in such a situation?

How to climb a tree after a cat

The listed methods will not always help to encourage the cat to get down from the tree on its own. Then you have to climb after her:

To climb a tree, you should attach a ladder to it, keeping in mind that you will have to climb down with a cat in your arms, so jumping from a branch is prohibited.
It is recommended to take an assistant who will stay below and tell you how the cat behaves and where it moves along the branches.
Before climbing a tree, you need to carefully inspect the ground near it for the presence of sharp objects, stones, and holes.
Choosing the right clothes. This should be trousers and a long sleeve shirt. If your cat acts aggressively, she may scratch the skin severely.
Once you climb a tree and find yourself close to a cat, it is recommended to immediately grab it. The animal is grabbed by the scruff of the neck; from this movement it will fall into a stupor and it will be easier to remove it.
To make it easier to remove the cat, you need to put it in a bag or box you take with you.
Once downstairs, the pet should be examined for injuries.

You must act carefully so as not to fall from a height and not to drop the animal.

What to do if a cat climbed a tree but can’t get back down

Before rescuing the cat and removing it from the tree, it is necessary to remove foreign objects that could injure the cat if it falls. You can put things or objects that will help soften the blow. Warm blankets, cardboard boxes, etc. are suitable for this.

It's not always possible for a cat to get down from a tree on its own.

Cat bait

You can try to lure the cat, then it will come down from the tree on its own, for this you need:

If this is your cat, try offering him his favorite dish, and call him in a calm voice. When an animal eats dry food, you should rustle the bag of food loudly. If a strange cat is stuck in a tree, try offering him animal treats: fish, meat, minced meat. Hot foods smell stronger, if possible, reheat your food. Find an opportunity to place food as close as possible to where the cat sits. Leave the second portion under the tree.
Officials from the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) recommend smearing the tree with valerian tincture. But this method only works on 30-35% of cats, and 60% of cats. If a young kitten is sitting on a tree, it is strictly forbidden to use this drug. This will only scare the pet away, and it will climb higher up the tree trunk. Also, valerian should not be used when the animal is sitting on a high tree, the medicine has an “intoxicating” effect and the cat can harm itself.
Try using a laser beam. If the animal is young and active, move the laser slowly from the animal's location down the tree. If the animal is exhausted, this method will not bring the desired result.

An animal's favorite treats can entice it to come down

Try calling the cat, your voice should be calm and affectionate. Make sure there are no objects nearby that will scare the cat. Move away from the tree, slowly a short distance and continue calling. Perhaps the pet will follow you and come down from the tree.
If bait and persuasion do not help, try removing the animal yourself. To do this, use the stairs. Wait a while, the animal will get used to the new object and will not be afraid of it, then climb the tree.
Do not use unreliable structures - you will harm both yourself and your beloved pet. If the tree is tall, it is better to seek help from special services.

You can call the cat, sometimes animals come down to the voice of their beloved owner. Or go after him yourself

Trying to free your pet from captivity on your own is a completely solvable task. There are a number of tricks that allow you to return your cat to solid ground without contacting special services. Before starting a rescue operation, it is necessary to prepare the area near the tree by removing foreign objects.

This could be remains of construction debris, glass or branches. You can lay disassembled cardboard boxes, old unnecessary clothes, a mattress or a blanket near the tree. If the cat falls down during the rescue process, precautions will prevent possible fractures when hitting the ground.

You can try to persuade the cat to come down on its own. It is advisable that the owner be alone, without strangers or intrusive advisers. You can ask idle onlookers to move away so as not to further disturb the exhausted and exhausted animal. It is also important that there is no free walking of dogs nearby.

The owner's voice should be filled with confidence and calm. You can leave the animal for short periods of time so that it comes into view. The cat is afraid of large crowds of people, loud screams and sounds, as well as flapping of arms. Instead of calmly descending on its own, the cat begins to climb even higher.

One effective way is to play on animal instincts. A cat is a predator by its animal nature, so it is quite easy to make contact if you offer them food.

After spending a certain time in captivity without food or drink, cats become much more sociable. The effectiveness of the method can be increased by using the animal’s favorite delicacies - aromatic fresh minced meat or fish (tuna is best, as it has a characteristic pronounced fishy aroma). It is recommended to heat the food so that the smell reaches the cat's nose faster.

If the tree has a fairly porous trunk, then in this case you can leave a small portion of food on the trunk, and a second portion directly on the ground in front of the tree. After the food has been placed, it is recommended to go a short distance and observe the animal’s reaction.

In addition to food, you can leave a small bowl of water near the tree. Sitting on a tree for a considerable amount of time, cats suffer more not from hunger, but from thirst. It is important to be close to the tree, so that it is in sight, since the bait in the form of food can attract other animals, especially stray dogs.

When does a cat need help?

The tailed steeplejacks do not always need help. Usually, owners of mustachioed height conquerors panic in vain. If your pet has the skill of climbing trees, he will safely descend to the ground on his own. If an animal that has climbed onto a high branch does not show signs of anxiety (does not scream, does not rush around, does not make unsuccessful attempts to get down) and does not look exhausted, it does not require help. After sitting for your own pleasure and watching what is happening below, it will descend to the ground itself.

You need to help the unlucky tailed steeplejack in the following cases:

A cat with a leash or harness climbed up a tree. This is a very dangerous situation, because there is a high risk that the pet, entangled in the branches with the restraint straps, will be injured or die from suffocation. In this case, you need to act without delay.
Adverse weather conditions. Strong wind, frost, and rain can weaken the animal. A weakened pet may not be able to stay on the branch and fall down and die.
There is a kitten on the tree. Young cats do not yet know how to descend from a height on their own, so they need help to do this.

The pet sits on the tree for too long. It is not recommended to wait until dusk to begin a rescue operation. It is better to try to remove the cat before sunset, so that he does not have to spend the night in a tree, and the owners do not have to worry about their tailed friend all night.
The cat shows signs of anxiety, rushes about the branches, makes unsuccessful attempts to get down, and meows loudly and pitifully.
The cat is exhausted, sits in one place for a long time, does not try to get down and call for help. If the animal is severely emaciated, it may become a victim of crows.

Feeding the steeplejack

Is it necessary to castrate a cat: what will happen if you don’t?

One of the options for getting a cat out of a tree is to bait the steeplejack with a tasty treat. This will work especially well on an animal that has been sitting on a high tree for a long time and has become hungry.

Important! As a bait, you should choose a medium-sized tasty treat so that the cat can definitely see it. An important factor is the smell of the treat; it must be strong so that the stuck animal can feel it even at a decent height.

If the owner knows what delicacy his pet prefers, it is worth using this particular food as bait.

It will be most convenient if the cat is stuck on a branch located near the balconies of residential buildings. Then it will be easier for a person to lure a steeplejack with a tasty treat through a window or vent.

Why does a cat climb a tall tree?

Quite often you can see a cat sitting high on a tree and meowing pitifully. Cats by nature love to choose elevated places to rest, watching from above what is happening. Positioned higher, the cat can observe possible prey and also notice the approach of a potential enemy.

A fairly common reason for a cat to end up in a tree is territorial behavior. By climbing a tall tree, a cat gives a clear signal who is the real owner of the area. This behavior in cats is associated with physiology and hunting instincts. Cats that have free access to the outdoors have not lost the ability to hunt, so in the heat of excitement they do not notice that they are climbing too high. Having settled down in the dense crown of a tree, the cat can calmly wait and inspect the birds.

An equally common reason why a cat ends up high in a tree is to hide from potential enemies - dogs. A cat can also be frightened by:

People;
cars;
sharp sounds;
explosions of fireworks and firecrackers.

In a fit of despair and severe fear, the cat climbs a tree to save its own life, finding itself in a dangerous trap. Statistics say that most often young animals and those that rarely go outside end up in trees. They are motivated to climb high into a tree by their interest in exploring new territories and the surrounding world, and due to the fact that there is no experience of proper descent, the cat finds itself in a trap.

Independent steps to rescue

The owner can try to rescue the animal from the trap on his own. There are numerous ways and tricks you can use to bring your cat back to earth without the help of a professional rescuer.

Before starting the operation to return the pet to the ground, it is necessary to clear the area under the trunk of foreign objects, especially the remains of building materials and hazardous debris. If possible, you should lay unfolded cardboard boxes, old things, mattresses, and blankets on the ground. Such measures will soften the blow if the cat falls or accidentally falls, and will prevent injuries and fractures when falling from a height.

How to persuade a cat to come downstairs

Before taking drastic measures and climbing a tree after a frightened pet, the owner must first try to “persuad” the cat to come down on its own. Under no circumstances should this be done in front of a crowd of onlookers and compassionate advisers. It is necessary to ask people to move as far away as possible and not to disturb the already exhausted animal. You should also ensure that there are no dogs around. When the crowd of onlookers has been neutralized, persuasion should begin.

It is best to call your cat in a calm voice. From time to time you should move away some distance, leaving the animal in sight. Having calmed down, the pet can make attempts to get down from the tree on its own. Often it is a crowd of people, loud screams, waving arms that frighten the cat, and it not only does not try to climb down, but often climbs even higher.

Feeding the steeplejack

Being predators by nature, domestic cats respond well to food offered to them. After sitting in a tree for some time, without food or water, the pet becomes more accommodating and may try to descend to the ground on its own.

For this method to be effective, it is necessary to offer the animal aromatic, preferably his favorite food. If help is provided to a street cat, you can offer fish (tuna has a strong smell) or minced meat. It is better if the food is warm, so the aromas will reach the cat's nose faster.

If the structure of the tree allows, the first small portion of food can be left on a horizontal tree trunk, between the ground and the stuck animal. The second portion of the bait should be placed on the surface of the ground, near the trunk.

After the aromatic complementary food has been placed, you need to move away some distance and wait until the delicious smell reaches the target. A bowl of clean water should be placed along with the food, since animals that have been sitting on a tree for a long time suffer primarily from dehydration. Both water and food should be supervised so as not to attract other relatives and especially dogs.

Under no circumstances should valerian preparations be used for bait. Drops based on this plant have an unpredictable effect on cats, often causing agitation and aggression. An already frightened animal under the influence of valerian may become more restless and climb even higher or try to jump from a great height.

Using a laser pointer

If the steeplejack does not respond to persuasion and the smell of food, the owner should

know how to remove a cat from a tall tree using a laser pointer. To do this, you need to clearly see the animal in the branches.

The pointer beam should be directed into the cat’s field of vision, but in such a way that its movements behind the beam are safe. As soon as the pet becomes interested in the light source, you should move the luminous flux of the pointer closer to the trunk.

There's no need to rush. If the cat is reluctant to follow the beam, you should try again. Slowly but surely the animal will move along the trunk towards the ground.

Other methods

You can help an unsuccessful steeplejack using a ladder. After making sure that the descent will be safe, the extendable ladder should be placed against the tree trunk so that the descent is gentle. You should not hope that the animal will immediately take advantage of the help provided. It is necessary to give the pet time to get used to the new object and evaluate the situation.

The method that uses a broom wrapped in thick fabric is questionable in terms of safety. It should be understood that the animal may become even more frightened and climb higher. If you have a poor grip on a wrapped broom, there is a high risk of falling and injury. A lot of disadvantages of this method cast doubt on the feasibility of its use.

Why can't a cat get down from a tree on its own?

These animals climb trees for various reasons. Some, imagining themselves as African leopards, decide to wait out the heat among the dense greenery, others climb to the top to better see what is happening around them, and others want to demonstrate to their rivals who is boss in the yard. It happens that cats climb trees, hunting birds, escaping dogs, for research purposes, which is typical for young individuals.

Adult cats, who have found themselves in such a situation not for the first time, usually descend to the ground on their own, because they already know how and are not afraid to do this. Less experienced animals prefer to call for help. Jumping from a small height is not a problem for most cats. However, not all of them dare to descend to the ground from tall trees. There are individuals that, like squirrels, jump from branch to branch, gradually reducing the distance to the ground, but there are very few of them.

Why does my pet sit on a tree for a long time and call for help? These animals cannot descend to the ground on their own due to the special structure of their claws. They are curved in such a way that they provide support when moving up, but are not able to hold their owner when going down. If a cat decides to crawl up a tree trunk upside down, it will not be able to hold on and will collapse to the ground under its own weight. The cat also cannot descend forward with its tail, because it does not see what is happening behind its back and is afraid of falling into the paws of the enemy.

Is it possible to drag a cat by the tail?

How to stop a cat from marking territory in an apartment

When the question arises of how to remove a cat from a tree, all available methods are used. It happens that the cat is either stuck low or sitting on a branch growing not far from the balcony or window. Sometimes it happens that a person climbs the stairs to a height where a fluffy one is stuck, but the latter is not given into his hands.

Then you need to remove the victim by force. In general, the cat's tail is quite fragile and plays an important physiological role, but if pulling on it is the only way out of the situation, then you can resort to it.

How emergency services specialists rescue

Unfortunately, there is no service professionally involved in removing animals from trees. Most often, owners and compassionate people turn to the local branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Employees of this department are not obliged to rescue pets, but, as a rule, they meet halfway and provide professional assistance to sufferers on a commercial basis. Having in their arsenal high sliding ladders, special “crampons” for climbing poles, and climbing equipment, emergency service employees can remove a pet even in the most difficult situations.

Fire department removes kitten from tree

How industrial climbers save cats

They most often help remove cats from trees, dangerous roofs and balconies:

First, the dispatcher finds out by phone and records data about where exactly and in what circumstances the injured animal is located. This is important in order to choose the most effective method of rescue;
if there is insufficient preliminary data, a specialist first goes to the site, collects the missing information and transmits it to the control panel;
special equipment arrives or, as an option, the climber climbs the tree using a special fastening system;
the rescued cat is placed in a special bag so that it does not jump out and is not injured during the descent;
the specialist comes down, hands the cat to the owner, and then unwinds the fastening system.

Employees of such companies, as a rule, quickly respond to calls, perform work promptly and flawlessly, as evidenced by hundreds of rescued animals.

Why did you come here?

Using a laser pointer

This method will work best with a young cat or kitten stuck on a tree branch. Growing animals are naturally more playful than their adult relatives. And almost everyone knows the love of cats for the red dot from a laser pointer.

When a cat is removed from a tree, it is not a fact that he will not climb it again

If the steeplejack is sitting in a place where the leaves do not block the view, you can try to lure him down using a laser pointer. You just need to shine the light first on the tree where the cat is sitting. Then, when the animal notices the red dot, slowly move it to the lower branches.

Important! In this situation, the person has the responsible task of choosing the safest route to descend.
An enthusiastic cat may forget about caution and inadvertently fall or jump onto an unstable branch. The person must move the pointer so that the cat climbs only along a safe path.

How to remove an animal from a tall tree?

To remove the tailed height conqueror from a tree, you will need an extension ladder. A stepladder is not suitable for this purpose, because it will not be possible to reach the mustachioed poor thing.

Before starting a rescue operation, you must:

Clear the area under the tree of foreign objects. First of all, you should remove the remains of building materials, especially those that may contain protruding nails, glass, stones, or metal objects.
Spread disassembled cardboard boxes, unnecessary items, mattresses or blankets on the ground. All this will soften the blow and protect your pet from injury if he falls or accidentally falls.
Ask neighbors and onlookers to move away and talk quietly, so that the animal, frightened by a large crowd of people and loud sounds, does not begin to climb up.
Try to exclude dogs from being in the area where the rescue operation is taking place.

Rescue help

What should you do if your cat is stuck in a tree, you can’t get it off on your own, and she’s afraid to get down? Perhaps you should call the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The rescue service dispatcher will give remote recommendations over the phone on how people should behave before the rescuers arrive.

Don't be afraid to seek help from specialists. They know exactly how to get a cat out of a tree, and will be able to save an animal whose owners’ fear could cost it its life. The owner of a stuck cat should help emergency workers whenever possible. They may need the cat to hear the voice of a familiar person or simply see him. As a rule, cats are more willing to go into the hands of those they know.

Preparation

It is easy to remove the cat if it has not risen too high and is at arm's length. But if the pet is on top, you need to remove it carefully and carefully. To do this you will need:

Look around carefully. Perhaps there is a dog near the tree, the cat is afraid and does not get down.
Find out the reason for the cat’s reluctance to go down; perhaps it is worried about the crowd of people below. The crowd must be asked to disperse.
Clear the area under the tree, spread blankets or cardboard under it.
The owner should put on thick clothing, since a frightened cat may behave inappropriately and begin to scratch its savior.
Talk to your pet calmly so that he calms down, after which you can begin active actions.

What to do is strictly prohibited

When trying to remove an animal from a tree, you should not make mistakes:

When you see a cat sitting on a tree, you should not shout loudly and wave your arms, begging it to come down. The animal is in a stressful state, and loud sounds and chaotic movements of its hands, on the contrary, will frighten it and force it to climb even higher.
Throw objects at your pet, motivating it to come down. The cat will begin to get nervous, rush around the branches and may fall.
Climbing a tree and being at a considerable distance from the cat, try to grab it with your hands. You can only pick up an animal when you are close to it. Because hands are reaching out to the cat, he will get scared and will climb even higher.
While on a tree, poke the cat with a stick, driving it off the branch. The animal will lose its balance, fall and be injured.
When you pick up a cat in a tree, you shouldn’t scream for joy or be nervous. The pet will get scared and begin to escape, scratching the skin.
Do not shake a branch or tree. A cat under stress will become frightened, disoriented and fall.

When trying to remove an animal from a tree, you need to act carefully, do not make sudden movements and do not raise your voice.

Also watch the video on how to remove a cat from a tree: